Allergic Reaction
by ya-fic
Summary: The Doctor has an allergic reaction to a flower that is dangerous only to Time Lords. He uses the Chameleon Arch to turn into a human while the plant's deadly poison decays in his system. He requests Amy Pond's help and patience to wait out death in New York City.
1. Hot

**Author's Note: **You should know two things before you choose to read this story: I'm American and I write in script format. Wait, wait, wait... don't run off just yet. The American thing, I can't help. I'm only telling you so that when I say words like "suspenders" instead of "braces," you'll know why. If someone says something in an un-British way, please let me know. I'll fix it. The script format... you might not hate it as much as you're thinking. I hope you'll give it a shot!

As for the story itself, just know that while I like Rory and I completely respect his place on the show and his love for Amy... well, this is a story about Amy and the Doctor. And it's a bit of a love story. Maybe it's when she's forgotten Rory. Maybe this is an alternate universe where Rory doesn't exist. Whatever. He's not here.

I hope you enjoy, and I always always always appreciate feedback. Oh, and this is my first Doctor Who fic so criticism works as well as praise. Thank you!

* * *

**_FADE IN:_**

_ INT. TARDIS - DAY _

_ The TARDIS is quiet. A gentle hum drifts from the console...  
__from the heart of the TARDIS. The Doctor bursts frantically  
__through the door, dragging Amy behind him. He spins around,  
__flinging Amy to the side, so that he may secure the doors._

**AMY  
**Doctor, are you okay?

_Distracted, he spins bobbles and pushes buttons on the  
__TARDIS control console._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Yes. No. Well, yes.

**AMY  
**Choose one.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Long-term: yes. Quite okay.

_The doctor kicks his shoes off. Amy shakes her head. _

**AMY  
**Short-term?

**THE DOCTOR  
**No. Not quite okay. Quite not-okay,  
actually. Thanks for bringing it  
up, though-that gloomy detail.

_ Amy watches for a beat as The Doctor tugs off each of his  
__socks, not keeping his balance well in the process._

**AMY  
**Well, what's wrong?

_ Barefoot, The Doctor steps up to her-close and in her face.  
__He's dead serious when he asks:_

**THE DOCTOR  
**Am I hot?

**AMY  
**(taken aback)  
Um... what?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Am. I. Hot?

_ The Doctor shrugs out of his jacket, letting it fall to the  
__floor behind him. He continues to undress throughout the  
__scene with Amy taking note, but trying to ignore_.

**AMY  
**Well, objectively speaking, you're  
a bit unusual-looking what with  
your funny, floppy hair and all,  
but I suppose-what are you doing?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Keep talking. You suppose...

_ The Doctor pulls his suspenders off his shoulders. _

**AMY  
**I suppose, on the whole, you're not  
entirely horrible to look at.

_The Doctor scoffs and shakes his head. He grabs Amy by the  
__shoulders and shakes her... just a degree above gently._

**THE DOCTOR  
**I am speaking strictly thermally  
here, Pond. Although, did you say  
my hair was-

**AMY  
**Funny. And floppy. Yes. Thermally?

_ The Doctor drops his hands from Amy's shoulders. She uses  
__the freedom and proximity to grab his suspenders and yank  
__them back onto his shoulders._

**THE DOCTOR  
**As in with respect to my thermal  
properties, yes.

_ The doctor slips off his suspenders again. _

**THE DOCTOR  
**So, please tell me: am I hot?

_ The Doctor tugs at his bow tie. _

**AMY  
**Oh, God. Why didn't you just say  
so? You think you've got a  
temperature or something?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Well, we've all got a temperature,  
haven't we? Though I do suspect  
that, currently, mine might be a  
teensy weensy bit elevated.

_ Amy puts the back of her hand against his forehead. She  
__pulls it back quickly as her eyebrows shoot up_.

**AMY  
**Doctor, you're right. You are so  
unbelievably hot right now.

_ The Doctor pauses, bow tie in hand. He cocks an eyebrow. _

**AMY  
**Thermally speaking, of course.  
(she glances at his tie)  
Because bow ties... are not hot.

**THE DOCTOR  
**I know. They're cool.

_ Amy groans. _

**THE DOCTOR  
**But, at the moment, I'd like for  
this one to kindly release its grip.

_ He makes to untie the knot, but Amy swats his hand away and  
__works more gingerly (ha) on the tie._

**AMY  
**So, we've established you're hot.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Can I out-of-contextually quote you  
on that in the future?

_ Amy glares and finishes with the bow tie. She throws it in  
__his face._

**THE DOCTOR  
**So, no, then?

_ The doctor quickly untucks his shirt and unbuttons it to  
__reveal an undershirt._

**AMY  
**Really, what are you doing?

_He slips the shirt off and throws it in the growing pile of  
__clothes at his feet._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Dying.  
(he wobbles his hand)  
Ish.

**AMY  
**What?

_ The doctor reaches down to undo the button on his pants. _

**AMY  
**Wait, whoa there.

_ The Doctor meets her eye. _

**AMY  
**You're not that hot.

**THE DOCTOR  
**I beg to differ.

_ The doctor pulls his undershirt off. _

**AMY  
**Oh, I bet you do, but-

_ The doctor silences her by throwing his undershirt over her  
__head. She pulls it off, revealing a scowl_.

**THE DOCTOR**  
My normal body temperature hovers  
just a scoche above 15 degrees.  
Currently, I'm at about 75 degrees,  
which, by the way is more than  
twice the average human standard.

**AMY  
**If you already knew your current  
body temperature-and how it  
compares to the average human-  
why'd you ask me if you were hot?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Because... even in moments of  
extreme thermal stress, I'm not one  
to shy away from such an obvious  
double entendre.

_ The Doctor smirks. Amy pegs him in the face with his shirt.  
__It falls into his pile. The doctor shrugs and reaches for  
__the button on his pants._

**AMY  
**Oi! Keep your pants on, Doctor.

**THE DOCTOR  
**I was planning on it; I'm not that  
immodest. But these trousers have  
to go.

_ He reaches for the button again. Amy grabs his hands. He  
__looks down at her hands over his then back up at her._

**THE DOCTOR  
**What? You're not even curious?

**AMY  
**About what?

**THE DOCTOR  
**The age old question...

_ Amy looks mildly horrified. _

**THE DOCTOR  
**Boxers... or briefs?

**_QUICK CUT TO CREDITS._**


	2. Dominustempore Interfectus

**Author's Note: **Last we left Amy and the Doctor, he was "hot." Now, we find out why. Feedback always appreciated!_  
_

* * *

_**FADE IN:**_

_**INT. TARDIS - DAY**_

_A blushing Amy looks off._

**AMY  
**Now that you're properly naked,  
explain. Now, please.

_The Doctor stands before her in TARDIS-blue boxer shorts._

**THE DOCTOR  
**I'm hardly naked.

**AMY  
**Explain!

**THE DOCTOR  
**Uh, right, okay. Well, you know  
where are we right now, correct?  
Our location in the universe?

**AMY  
**Some planet-

**THE DOCTOR  
**Moon. Azeal is a moon.

**AMY  
**Right. Anyway, this moooooon...  
it's got rare fauna-

**THE DOCTOR  
**Aw, come on, Pond. It's not a zoo!

**AMY  
**I know it's not a zoo! It's a  
botanical garden-so you said.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Quick word lesson: you find fauna  
at a zoo and flora in a garden.

**AMY  
**Perhaps you've not noticed, Doctor,  
but the further out in the universe  
you get, the harder it is to tell the  
flora from the fauna.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Quite right. In fact, many of the  
species on Azeal are actually  
flor-faunic in nature.

**AMY  
**Fascinating. So, anyway, we're on  
this moon slash botanical garden  
with a bunch of plants-really  
boring plants, by the way. Even  
the flor-faunic ones.

**THE DOCTOR  
**That's a bit unfair. I thought you  
liked flowers and such. Don't you?

_Amy smiles._

**AMY  
**I suppose I do.

**THE DOCTOR  
**And do you remember that last  
flower we were viewing?  
Dominustempore Interfectus.

**AMY  
**Yeah, it was gorgeous.

**THE DOCTOR  
**It really was, wasn't it?

_Amy nods, waiting._

**THE DOCTOR  
**That's what's killing me.

**AMY  
**What? It's poisonous?

_Amy puts her hand against her own forehead._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Only to Time Lords.

_Amy lets out a sigh of relief and drops her hand._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Well, don't look so relieved that  
it's me dying and not you.

**AMY  
**I am relieved, though. Considering  
I actually can die.

**THE DOCTOR  
**As can I, Pond. Given the right...  
allergen.

**AMY  
**You're allergic to that flower?

**THE DOCTOR  
**A bit, yeah. All Time Lords are.

**AMY  
**And it can kill you?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Oh, it will kill me.

_This sobers Amy._

**AMY  
**Well... what's that thing Time  
Lords can do?

**THE DOCTOR  
**I can't do that thing.

**AMY  
**Why not?

**THE DOCTOR  
**It'll just exacerbate the condition.

**AMY  
**What condition?

**THE DOCTOR  
**The reaction to Dominustempore  
Interfectus is... well, imagine the  
black plague meets syphilis with  
the measles thrown in just for fun.  
Not to mention that you basically  
burn up from the inside.

**AMY  
**There must be something we can do.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Yes, well, of course there is.

**AMY  
**Of course.  
_(beat)_  
What is it?

**THE DOCTOR  
**It's going to require patience.  
Mostly yours. Which worries me.

**AMY**  
I can be patient.

**THE DOCTOR**  
The real question is, Amy Pond,  
how long are you willing to wait?

**AMY  
**What, for you?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Yes, for me. How long are you  
willing to wait for me?

**AMY  
**Is this another double entendre?

_The Doctor doesn't get it._

**THE DOCTOR  
**No.

**AMY  
**Well, after we first met, you were,  
what, twelve years gone? And there  
I was, twelve years later, waiting  
away for you. In my head, anyway.

_The Doctor looks at her carefully. He steps closer. She _  
_glances down at his state of undress, but quickly looks_  
_ up to meet his gaze._

**THE DOCTOR  
**All right, then. I trust you, Amy.  
I trust you not to abandon me.

**AMY  
**What do you mean, "abandon you?"  
If I tried to run off, couldn't you just  
come find me?

**THE DOCTOR  
**_(gentle)_  
I won't know to look.

_Amy's brow furrows. She folds her arms, processing. The _  
_Doctor's energy returns and he walks back to the TARDIS _  
_controls, but his knees buckle and he falls forward, catching_  
_ himself with a control lever. The ship lurches._

**THE DOCTOR  
**_(to the TARDIS)_  
She can handle it. Trust me.

_He readjusts the lever and leans in closer to the console._  
_ Amy tries to listen in, but can't hear._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Me? Of course I can.  
_(he listens again)_  
Well, yes, I do remember that,  
but you should also take into  
account... I've got Amy Pond.

**AMY**  
Doctor? Are you all right?

_He spins back around._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Pick a city.

**AMY  
**Huh?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Pick a city. Any city.

**AMY  
**Any city?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Any city on Earth. A city where  
you've always dreamed of living.

**AMY  
**Okay, easy. New York City.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Really? Okay then.

_The Doctor starts up the TARDIS._

**THE DOCTOR  
**What about a job?

**AMY  
**I'm getting a job?

**THE DOCTOR  
**What's your dream job?

**AMY  
**Got to admit, kind of already  
living the dream, Doctor.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Dream job on Earth then.

_Amy ponders it._

**AMY  
**Photographer maybe. Like one of  
those really posh and sassy fashion  
photographers.

_She puts her hands up as if to check a camera view, focusing _  
_on the Doctor. He smiles amicably before he stumbles again,_  
_ this time toward Amy. She puts her arms out against his chest _  
_to steady him, his bare skin coming into contact with her hands._

**AMY**  
You're so hot.

_He steadies himself and stands upright._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Could you stop flirting with me for two  
second, Pond? Really, you're shameless.  
And, I'm so... exposed.

_Amy almost looks insulted until she realizes he was kidding._

**AMY  
**Seriously, Doctor, you're burning up.  
How long can you withstand it?

**THE DOCTOR  
**A bit longer. Don't worry.  
_(beat)_  
Okay. New York City. N... Y... C.  
Amy Pond: Fashion Photographer. And  
me? Model, maybe? Huh? I can make it  
work-We can make it work. Here's what  
I need you to do...

**AMY  
**Okay.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Go to your room.

_Amy starts to protest._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Pack up all your things.

**AMY  
**But-

**THE DOCTOR  
**Everything.

**AMY  
**Okay...

**THE DOCTOR  
**Okay.

_The Doctor nods and turns around to do something else._

**AMY  
**Hold on... then what?

_The Doctor turns back to her._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Then what what?

**AMY  
**After I pack up all my belongings,  
what do I do?

**THE DOCTOR  
**You wait.

**AMY  
**That's where I have to wait?

**THE Doctor**  
No. That's intermediary waiting.

**AMY  
**I don't understand what you're planning to do.

**THE DOCTOR  
**I'm planning to save myself. You're  
planning to help me... by going to  
your room. Now, go. Go!

_Amy stomps off._

_**INT. AMY'S ROOM - DAY**_

_Amy throws stuff into a suitcase. She speaks into the air, _  
_presumably addressing the TARDIS:_

**AMY  
**Couldn't he just program you to  
take care of this for me?

_The TARDIS creaks and shakes. Amy loses her footing for _  
_a moment. When she rights herself, the sound of the Doctor_  
_ screaming echoes through the whole ship._

**AMY  
**Doctor?

_Amy runs for the door, but it slams closed._

**AMY  
**No! Let me out.

_His screaming continues. He is clearly in pain. Amy bangs  
on the door._

**AMY  
**Doctor? Doctor! Doctor!

_She sinks down to the floor, tears forming as The Doctor's _  
_screaming continues. She places a hand against the door._


	3. No Apples

**Author's Note: **Thanks for sticking with it for another chapter. In the previous chapter, we found out what was making The Doctor so... hot. Now, what's he going to do about it? Feedback is happily consumed.

* * *

_**FADE IN:**_

_**INT. TARDIS - AMY'S ROOM - DAY**_

_Amy sits with her hands over her ears as the Doctor's_  
_screams continue in the background._

**AMY**  
Why are you doing this? What are  
you doing to him? Please, let me  
out. Please...

_More screams. Amy steels herself and stands up._

**AMY  
**Let. me. out. This instant!

_After a second, the screaming stops. The ship stabilizes._

**AMY  
**Thank you!

**INT. TARDIS CONTROL ROOM - DAY**

_The ship is quiet and humming again. Amy walks cautiously_  
_out into the control room._

**THE DOCTOR  
**_(as if through speakers)_  
Hello! Amy Pond? Hello?

_She looks around and sees a display screen near the console_  
_playing a video message from The Doctor. In the video, he is_  
_still shirtless, but, for some reason, he wears his bow tie_  
_again. It's cool. And hot. All at the same time._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Hello! Amy Pond? Hello?

**AMY  
**_(uncertain)_  
Hello...

**THE DOCTOR  
**Hello! Amy Pond? Hello?

**AMY  
**I said "hello." Now, Doctor, where  
are you?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Hello! Amy Pond? Hello?

_Amy notices a note stuck to the monitor. It says "press the_  
_green button." She pulls the note off._

**AMY  
**Just a recording then.

_She hits the green button._

**THE DOCTOR  
**So the TARDIS is going to do some  
temporal permutations to hurry  
along the time you have to wait in  
your room. She won't be able to do  
the same when I'm not a Time Lord,  
I'm afraid, so you'll be forced to  
wait the old-fashioned way.

**AMY  
**What do you mean when you're not a  
Time Lord?

**THE DOCTOR  
**You're probably freaking out right  
now... and that's understandable  
because things are about to get a  
bit freaky. Here's the thing: yes,  
I was really, truly dying before-  
well, that's now for me, but never  
mind those superfluous little timey-  
wimey details of chronology.

**AMY  
**Get to the point, Doctor...

**THE DOCTOR  
**The point is... I couldn't just do  
that Time Lord-y thing to which you  
alluded earlier because the new me  
would still be a Time Lord. As long  
as I am a Time Lord, the poison  
from the Dominustempore Interfectus  
will be slowly, painfully killing  
me. If I regenerate, the whole  
process will just start over again.

**AMY  
**So what did you do, Doctor? And  
where are you?

**THE DOCTOR  
**I'm sure you're wondering about  
what the alternative was... and  
where I've got off to.

**AMY  
**And...

**THE DOCTOR  
**I am about to use a device called  
the Chameleon Arch to alter my DNA  
from Time Lord into something  
more... well... human.

**AMY  
**More what?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Actually "alter" is the wrong word.  
It's going to completely rewrite my  
DNA. I'll be entirely human.

**AMY  
**Entirely what?

**THE DOCTOR  
**It's really, really, really going  
to hurt. You're going to hear me  
screaming. Or you have done  
already. Sorry about that. Really.  
If it helps, that temporal trick  
the TARDIS is going to do-or did,  
in your case-blimey, I never  
realized how complicated consistent  
tense use can be. Anyhow, it  
probably made the hours seem like  
just a few minutes.

_He gazes into the camera for a long beat; he looks a little_  
_scared. Amy looks back, sympathetically._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Speaking of the TARDIS, she must be  
getting more cooperative in her old  
age-plus, I think she really likes  
you-and so she's going to find us  
a placement based on the parameters  
you requested earlier. We'll just  
sort of be integrated into this  
life, and this is the best bit  
here, I'll honestly think we've  
been living it all along... because  
I won't remember this...  
_(he gestures around)_  
at all.

**AMY  
**What?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Don't freak out.

**AMY  
**What?

**THE DOCTOR  
**I'll wait to allow time for  
freaking out.

**AMY  
**This is unbelievable! Unbelievable!  
What do you mean you're turning  
into a human? And an amnesiac one  
at that! You can't be a human.  
You're a Time Lord! You're the Time  
Lord. Last one in the universe.  
You're The Doctor... not... not...

**THE DOCTOR  
**Okay. That should be enough time  
now. Got it all out of your system?

**AMY  
**Nooooo...

**THE DOCTOR  
**Now, my whole Time Lordiness: my  
heart, my soul... my hopes, my  
dreams... my whole essence and my  
awareness of who I really am...  
it'll be stored in this locket.  
_(he holds up a beautiful_  
_silver locket with subtle Time_  
_Lord symbols engraved in)_  
It's there... by the time rotor.

_He looks off screen toward the control console. Amy scoops_  
_the locket off a hook and examines it._

**AMY  
**It's beautiful.

**THE DOCTOR  
**The TARDIS came up with it. She  
thinks you should wear it. She  
trusts you as much as I trust you,  
Amy Pond. And I trust you loads.

_He looks into the camera for another long moment as Amy puts_  
_the necklace on. She runs her thumb across the locket, about_  
_to open it._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Oh, right! Right, I should say,  
don't open it. Don't open it!  
Amy stops and looks up at the screen.

**THE DOCTOR  
**The poison in my system has a  
half-life of about 3 weeks. That  
means, to be at safe levels, I need  
to be human for at least...  
_(he writes in the air)_  
three months.

**AMY  
**Three months!

**THE DOCTOR  
**You said you'd wait for me.

_Amy huffs._

**AMY  
**But for three months?

**THE DOCTOR  
**All you have to do is keep me safe  
and keep me alive... as a human...  
for three months. If you open the  
locket before that time, I'll die.

_Amy's eye's widen._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Noooo, I'm just kidding. Well, I  
hope I am in case you accidentally  
drop it or something. A right  
butterfingers, you are.

**AMY  
**You should talk, Klutz McClumsy.

**THE DOCTOR  
**But, anyway, along with the  
standard cloaking device and  
containment chip, it's got an Amy  
Pond-tuned psychic field activated.  
That means if you open it just a  
little-just a crack-we can  
communicate for a few seconds.  
There could be side effects so use  
it sparingly and only if there's  
danger (or if you miss me  
terribly). When it's time for me to  
return to you-this me, the real  
Time Lord me-stand in front of my  
human form and open the locket all  
the way. But not until it's time.

**AMY  
**What if-

**THE DOCTOR  
**If there's an emergency, though,  
open it if you have to, but only if  
you have to. You're clever, Amy,  
and you can handle more than you  
think you can. I promise. And,  
barring the human me isn't a  
complete duffer, I might even be  
able to assist. Imagine that! Me  
assisting you. What fun!

_Amy laughs and shakes her head at his enthusiasm. She looks_  
_down at the locket then pauses the video. She takes a deep_  
_breath and opens the locket just slightly... just a crack._

**THE DOCTOR  
**_(airy, from locket)  
_Hello, Pond. Miss me already?

**AMY  
**No! I was just trying it out.

**THE DOCTOR  
**You need to close it now. I'm not  
nearly ready. Soon enough, though.

_Amy closes the locket. She looks back up at the screen and_  
_hits the green button. The recording starts again._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Now, last thing: the rules.

**AMY  
**Rules? There are rules for this?  
Because you've done this before,  
right? Of course you have.

**THE DOCTOR  
**One: don't worry about the TARDIS.  
In case you hadn't noticed, she can  
take care of herself. Four... wait,  
three... wait, we're only on two?

**AMY  
**Tell me about it.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Okay, two: we're set to live in the  
nineties. Don't go trying to change  
any major historic events.

**AMY  
**The nineties?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Three: have fun with this.

**AMY  
**In America... in the nineties? What  
am I going to do? Put on my  
hyper-color t-shirt, hang at the  
skatepark and listen to boy  
bands... on my portable CD player?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Number four: Please, please...  
don't let me hurt anyone.

**AMY  
**You would never-

**THE DOCTOR  
**The human me isn't The Doctor me.  
You'll realize that straight off.  
It may be a good approximation...  
but it may not. Be prepared. Try  
not to hate the human-y me even if  
he turns out to be a right git.

**AMY  
**I doubt I'll hate you doctor.

**THE DOCTOR  
**And corollary to the "don't let me  
hurt anyone" rule: don't let me  
fall in love with anyone.

**AMY  
**Love? You? Please.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Remember, human me: totally  
different-much more... human.

**AMY  
**Much more boy. Interesting.

**THE DOCTOR  
**If I even look like I might start  
to fancy someone-stop me.

**AMY  
**And how am I supposed to do that?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Distract me. Do whatever it takes.  
Something occurs to The Doctor.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Unless it turns out to be-well,  
never mind, that would be highly  
unlikely considering the details  
are to be filled in by the TARDIS.

_The Doctor winces and keels forward slightly. Amy frowns._

**THE DOCTOR  
**_(in pain)_  
Remember, Pond, I trust you.

_Amy watches, concerned, as the on-screen Doctor seems to_  
_recover. She breathes a sigh of relief._

**THE DOCTOR  
**And I'm putting my faith in you.  
Absolutely every drop of it.

**AMY  
**All right, all right.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Don't let me go off and meet some  
woman with whom I'll fall in love-

**AMY  
**Still on about love, Doctor?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Because when I eventually cease to  
be human... she'll be hurt.

**AMY  
**Who cares? I hate her already.

**THE DOCTOR  
**And I'll be hurt more.

_Amy looks up at the screen, at The Doctor's sad face._  
_Suddenly, he brightens._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Okay, I actually thought of  
something more important than  
anything else I've said.

**AMY  
**Great.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Now, then, what number were we on?  
One, two, three, four... ah, yes,  
five! V, as the Romans say. And,  
when in Rome-but we're not. When  
in New York... oh, that brings me  
back on track. Apples.

**AMY  
**Apples? The conclusion to that mad  
rambling was actually "apples."

**THE DOCTOR  
**As you may recall from the night we  
first met, Amelia Pond, I think  
apples are rubbish. Actually, since  
that night, my distaste for that  
disgusting, grainy fruit has  
increased so substantially that if  
I find out you let me eat one while  
I'm a human, when I become a Time  
Lord again, I may decide to drop  
you back off in Leadworth and never  
speak to you again. It's that  
important to me, Pond. No apples.

**AMY  
**No apples. Check. Now, is that it?

**THE DOCTOR  
**There are only about thirty more  
rules to go over and then-

**AMY  
**Oh, you've got to be kidding-

**THE DOCTOR  
**But I tell you what... you can come  
back and watch the rest  
later-you'll figure most of them  
out along the way anyway.

_Amy stares at the screen._

**THE DOCTOR  
**All right, off you go.

**AMY  
**Where? Where are you?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Go on. Right out the door and into  
our flat.

_Amy wrinkles her brow._

**AMY  
**Our flat?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Or our "apartment" as they say here  
in the Big Apple. Eugh, Big Apple.  
Seriously, Pond, no apples.

_Amy rolls her eyes and heads for the door._

**_FADE TO BLACK._**


	4. Nevermind

**Author's Note: **The Doctor's plan is to hide out as a human while the poison from the Time-Lord-killing flower leaves his system. Enter, John Smith. Oh, and remember, I intend for this to be a love story of the Amy/Doctor variety. There's no Rory, and (consequently, I suppose) there's no River Song. I'd hate for you to think you were getting one thing, only to end up with another. Thanks for the feedback so far and please continue to let me know your thoughts. Thanks!

* * *

_**FADE IN:**_

**INT. BIG APPLE APARTMENT - DAY**

_The open living room has a wall of windows that let light_  
_into the space. It's not posh, but it's big for New York._  
_One corner is set up like a photography studio with lighting_  
_equipment and backdrops strewn about. Another section has a_  
_sofa, TV, coffee table and bookshelves. It's lived in._

_On either side of the room, there are two bedroom doors. Amy_  
_exits from the right room and walks out into the space. She_  
_sees the studio and lights up. She runs over to the area,_  
_but a loud crunching sound stops her. She turns to see..._  
_The Doctor as John Smith. He stands in the middle of the_  
_kitchen and is dressed in ripped jeans and a t-shirt with a_  
_flannel shirt thrown over top. He chews a bite from the..._  
_(gasp!) apple in his hand. He goes for another chomp._

**AMY  
**Doctor! What are you doing?

_Amy races over and knocks the apple out of his hand. It_  
_rolls onto the floor. He looks at her incredulously._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Are you mad?

**AMY  
**You hate apples.

**JOHN SMITH  
**I love apples. Bananas are... not  
good. But apples are lovely.

**AMY  
**You've got it all backwards.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Why did you call me "Doctor?"

**AMY  
**I... I didn't.

_John Smith looks at her, calmly and patiently. He is_  
_substantially more still than The Doctor._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Amy, I'm sure you did.

**AMY  
**Fine, rule number one:  
_(she smirks)_  
Amy Pond lies.

_John Smith doesn't get the joke._

**AMY  
**Anyway, I was just trying out a new  
nickname for you.

**JOHN SMITH  
**What, "Johnny" isn't awful enough?

**AMY  
**You don't like being called  
"Johnny?"

**JOHN SMITH  
**You know I prefer "John."

**AMY  
**John? Your name... is John? I mean,  
your name is John. Of course,  
you're John. Why wouldn't you be?

_John Smith tilts his head. He looks concerned._

**JOHN SMITH  
**I'm John... you're Amelia.

**AMY  
**Amelia?

**JOHN SMITH  
**By my preference. By yours, we'd be  
"Johnny and Amy."

**AMY  
**That's because Amelia is a seven  
year old girl... and Amy's a woman.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Yeah...

_He leans against the kitchen counter and looks off for a_  
_beat, lost in thought. Amy watches him carefully._

**AMY  
**John?

_He looks up with a nostalgic smile._

**JOHN SMITH**

Remember when we first met?

**AMY  
**Quite well, yes. Do you?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Yep.

**AMY  
**Remind me.

**JOHN SMITH  
**School dining hall. Those older  
boys were making me eat odd  
combinations, culminating in...

**AMY  
**Fish fingers and custard?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Fish fingers and custard! The most  
disgusting pairing since Kurt  
Cobain and Courtney Love-

**AMY  
**Who?

**JOHN SMITH  
**What?

**AMY  
**Never mind.

_John Smith laughs and musses Amy's hair._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Nevermind. Exactly.

_John Smith opens his flannel shirt to better reveal his_  
_Nirvana t-shirt featuring the iconic Nevermind album cover._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Anyway, those boys never bothered  
me again after you socked each and  
every one in their big bully jaws.  
That Amelia Pond... she was a  
proper super-hero.

_Amy smiles fondly at John Smith._

**AMY  
**Amy Pond is pretty cool, too.

_He looks down, nibbling his lip._

**JOHN SMITH  
**I am so very aware of that fact.

_He sighs. Amy looks closer at his shirt._

**AMY  
**Is that a naked baby?

_She moves his flannel shirt away, her hands pushing against_  
_John Smith's torso to spread out the shirt. He watches her_  
_for a moment until she removes her hands._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Amy, I've been wearing this shirt  
since I was twelve years old.

**AMY  
**Which was... how many years ago?

_John Smith tilts his head._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Nine...

**AMY  
**You're twenty-one then... and what  
year were you born?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Seventy-eight.

_He leans in to look at her._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Are you feeling all right?

**AMY  
**Nineteen ninety-nine.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Seriously, Amelia-

_She glares at him._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Are you ill? Have you got a fever?

_Amy laughs and leans toward him._

**AMY  
**_(flirty)_  
Are you asking if I'm hot?

**JOHN SMITH  
**I... suppose...

_She leans in a bit more._

**AMY  
**Maybe you should tell me.

_John Smith pushes some hair gently off Amy's forehead before_  
_placing the back of his hand against her head._

**JOHN SMITH  
**You feel fine.

_Amy scoffs and turns to the fridge, opening it._

**AMY  
**_(muttered)_  
Oblivious as ever, I see.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Are you sure nothing's the matter?

_Amy turns back to him, letting the fridge door close._

**AMY  
**No, not sure of that...

**JOHN SMITH  
**'Cause I could cancel your three  
o'clock shoot if you-

**AMY  
**Three o'clock shoot? I've got a  
three o'clock shoot? Of course,  
I've got a three o'clock shoot.  
Because I'm a photographer. That's  
brilliant. This is all brilliant. I  
mean, look at this place. Look at  
you with your...  
_(she gestures to his clothes)_  
Are you a model? You could be a  
model. I never noticed...you really  
are a different sort of handsome.

**JOHN SMITH  
**I'm what?

**AMY  
**I bet you're, like, extremely  
photogenic too. Come over here.

_Amy bounds across the apartment to the studio area. She_  
_finds a large, professional-grade camera._

_John Smith still stands in the kitchen, staring at her._

**AMY  
**What?

**JOHN SMITH  
**I... did you just say... I mean...

**AMY  
**Stop stammering and spit it out.

**JOHN SMITH  
**You've just never said anything  
like that to me before is all...  
about thinking I'm... um...

**AMY  
**What, handsome?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Well... yeah...

**AMY  
**Oh. Riiiight. 'Cause we're mates.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Best mates.

_Amy smiles. John Smith pushes his hair out of his face._

**AMY  
**Well, don't worry about that,  
Johnny. I was just speaking  
objectively. Professionally.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Professionally? But I'm not exactly  
your typical subject.

**AMY  
**Just come over here.

_John Smith sighs and walks reluctantly to Amy. She holds the_  
_camera up and takes a quick shot._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Oi! I wasn't ready.

**AMY  
**I know. It's called a candid.

_Amy pulls the camera down as if to look at a screen._

**AMY  
**It's not digital?

**JOHN SMITH  
**What's not digital?

**AMY  
**The nineties. Everything's so  
old-fashioned here. No matter. Get  
yourself over here.

_She grabs his hand and drags him into the studio area._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Have you taken drugs?

_Amy laughs._

**AMY  
**Shut up, you. Sit down.

_She pushes his shoulder and sends him into sitting on a box._  
_She takes several shots. He smiles._

**JOHN SMITH  
**This is really weird.

**AMY  
**You're really weird.

_John Smith laughs._

**JOHN SMITH  
**So you've been saying for years.

_Amy snaps more pictures. A knock sounds at the door._

**JOHN SMITH  
**I think your three o'clock is here.

**AMY  
**Shame. To be continued.

_She grins at him. He stares at her with a curious smile._

**FADE TO BLACK.**


	5. Come Along, Smith

**Author's Note:** John Smith should have inexplicable memories or dreams of being a Time Lord, right? He should be head-in-the-clouds and always distracted, shouldn't he? If you've thought of these questions, know they will eventually be addressed. Hope you enjoy this installment... and thank you so much for reading and giving comments. So very appreciated.

* * *

**_FADE IN:_**

**INT. BIG APPLE APARTMENT - LATER**

_Amy holds her camera up to take a photograph. John Smith_  
_stands next to her, holding up a reflective panel to adjust_  
_lighting. Amy pulls the camera down. We cannot see the_  
_model._

**AMY  
**_(to the model)_  
You're being impossible.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Patience, Amy.

**AMY  
**But she's just lying there.

**JOHN SMITH  
**What more do you expect her to do?

**AMY  
**Smile?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Well, you've got to do something to  
make her smile, don't you?

_Amy scowls. John Smith smirks and puts his panel down. He_  
_walks over to the "model:" a three-month old baby girl._

**JOHN SMITH  
**She is only three months old, after  
all. Hello, Isabel. Hello.

_He grins at her._

**AMY  
**I'm supposed to be a photographer  
not a baby portrait maker...

**JOHN SMITH  
**_(to Isabel)_  
What's that? You prefer to be  
called Princess Nevermind?

_Isabel gurgles._

**JOHN SMITH  
**I know, she is a bit grouchy today.

_Isabel reaches out toward him; he lets her grab his finger._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Well, not so much grouchy as|  
impatient. She's just so-

**AMY  
**All right, get on with it.

**JOHN SMITH  
**_(to Isabel)_  
Case in point.

_Amy groans. John Smith smiles at Isabel and nods._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Oh, well, sure, I think you'll be  
as pretty as her one day.

**AMY  
**Can you really understand her?

_John Smith looks over his shoulder at Amy._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Uh... no. Of course I can't. Are  
you sure you're-

**AMY  
**Just keep her laughing.

_John Smith makes silly faces at Isabel to make her laugh._  
_Amy takes several pictures, getting more into it._

**AMY  
**Now, that's more like it, Isabel.

_John Smith clears his throat._

**AMY  
**I mean, Princess Nevermind.

_Amy and John Smith both laugh and continue the photo_  
_session. After a moment, a knocking interrupts._

**JOHN SMITH  
**That must be your mummy.

_He winks at Isabel then heads over to answer the door to_  
_reveal Hannah, an American brunette in her mid-twenties._

**HANNAH  
**Hey, 'sup? John, wasn't it?

_John Smith trades an amused look with Amy. He gently picks_  
_up Isabel and walks toward Hannah. Isabel laughs at him._

**HANNAH  
**So glad I met Amy in aerobics. It's  
about time someone captured my  
precious girl's beauty on film.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Pond's Portraits is pleased to have  
her as a client.

**HANNAH  
**How is mommy's little princess?

_Hannah takes Isabel from John Smith who exchanges another_  
_smile with Amy._

**AMY  
**We got some really excellent shots.

**HANNAH  
**Coolio. Hey, did anyone ever tell  
you two this place is bigger on the  
inside?

_Amy chokes back a laugh. John Smith glances at her._

**HANNAH  
**When Izzy's dad gets his promotion,  
we're moving uptown.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Ah, that's brilliant, isn't it?  
Where does he work?

**HANNAH  
**Fritz Investments. In the World  
Trade Center. His office has the  
best view you've ever seen.

_Amy's face falls into an expression of shock._

**AMY  
**Maybe he should quit. You could all  
move out to the country. He could  
start his own company. Work from  
home. No better view than that.

**HANNAH  
**Yeah, as if.

_Hannah laughs._

**HANNAH  
**Isabel is a city girl.

_Isabel laughs and snuggles up to her mom._

**JOHN SMITH  
**I'm going to go get started on  
these prints. We should have the  
contact sheets ready to send out  
tomorrow. Then we'll put together a  
package from the shots you pick.

**HANNAH  
**Okay, thanks.

_John Smith leaves the room with Amy's camera and several_  
_rolls of film. Amy straightens stuff up. Hannah stands there_  
_watching John Smith leave the room._

**HANNAH  
**What's the deal with you two?

**AMY  
**How do you mean?

**HANNAH  
**Is he your man?

**AMY  
**Oh. No. We're just mates.

**HANNAH  
**Like, friends with benefits?

**AMY  
**What do you mean "benefits."

_Hannah laughs._

**HANNAH  
**Oh, come on, you're telling me you  
live with that sexy dude and  
there's absolutely nothing  
non-platonic going on between you?

**AMY  
**Oh. Um... no, we're just...

**HANNAH  
**Mates.  
_(she laughs)_  
You should be mating. Populating  
the world with your beautiful  
British babies.

_Amy grimaces at her phrasing._

**AMY  
**We're not... we can't... he's not-

**HANNAH  
**Straight? I should have known.

**AMY  
**It's not-

**HANNAH  
**Anyway, we gotta roll, but thanks  
for the session. We'll be back in  
about three months, okay?

**AMY**  
Three months?

**HANNAH**  
For her six-month birthday  
pictures.

**AMY  
**All right. Thanks, Hannah.

_Hannah and Isabel are already out the door._

**AMY  
**Ta ta, Princess Nevermind.

_John Smith re-enters. He carries Amy's camera over to her._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Wow, she was really...

**AMY  
**American?

**JOHN SMITH  
**I'd say.

**AMY  
**_(valley girl)_  
What. Ever.

_A beat as Amy looks around the apartment._

**AMY  
**We have a lot of blank walls.

**JOHN SMITH  
**I suppose that's true.

**AMY  
**And I'm a photographer.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Exhibit A.

_He gestures to her camera._

**AMY  
**And you're photogenic

**JOHN SMITH  
**Debatable. But, you know who is?

**AMY  
**Who?

**JOHN SMITH  
**You.

_He snatches the camera and takes a shot of her._

**AMY  
**Hey!

**JOHN SMITH  
**Candid.

_Amy snatches her camera back._

**AMY  
**Why haven't we got any pictures up?

**JOHN SMITH  
**All you photograph are babies and,  
while they're adorable and make for  
excellent portfolio material, it'd  
be a tad peculiar to post them on  
our wall, don't you think?

**AMY  
**I meant pictures of us.

**JOHN SMITH  
**We haven't taken any. Not here. Not  
in New York. Not really.

**AMY  
**Why not?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Been busy starting up your  
photography business. We never have  
time to get out and see the sites.

**AMY  
**Maybe we should make time.

_He raises his eyebrows._

**JOHN SMITH  
**I think I'd like that.

**AMY  
**There's a great big city out there  
with more to see that we can even  
imagine-and we're going to see it,  
all of it, me and you: Amy Pond and  
John-uh, John...

**JOHN SMITH  
**Very funny.

**AMY  
**What do you say, huh? You want to  
have some adventures with me?

**JOHN SMITH  
**You lead the way, Amy Pond, and I,  
John Smith, will follow.

**AMY  
**John Smith. I should have figured.

_John Smith tilts his head._

**AMY  
**Well, come along, Smith.

_Amy bounds over to the door._

**JOHN SMITH  
**_(to himself)_  
I really just prefer "John."

**AMY  
**I said... come along.

_She reaches back and grabs his hand, dragging him out_  
_the front door of their apartment._

**Fade to black.**


	6. Conflicted

**_Author's Note:_**Follows, favorites and reviews? You guys are so awesome. Thanks for the encouragement and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

**_INT. BIG APPLE APARTMENT - DAY_**

_Photo-Wall Montage:_

_The living room wall is empty. In a stop motion series, we_  
_watch John Smith tack up pictures to fill the space. We also_  
_see Amy put up a calendar. As John Smith adds photos, she_  
_crosses off days, flipping the calendar once, then twice_  
_and, finally, a third time. Every once in awhile, we go into_  
_the photographs to see more:_

_1. At the Alice in Wonderland statue in Central Park: John_  
_Smith climbs up the mushrooms. He nearly slips off and grabs_  
_Alice's arm for balance then seats himself next to her._

_2. At the Museum of Natural History: Amy wanders amongst the_  
_dinosaurs. She pretends to be afraid of a charging T-Rex_  
_then looks up in surprise to find the camera in her face._

_3. In Times Square: John Smith holds the camera up to_  
_photograph himself. He is back-to-back with Amy. Then the_  
_same shot, but with Amy as the self-photographer. The shots_  
_trade back and forth as the pair spins around._

_4. John Smith on a ferry to the Statue of Liberty. He does  
__his best impression of Lady Liberty, nearly falling over  
__board. Amy's hand reaches into a shot to grab him and keep  
__him safe. He covers his face in mock embarrassment._

_5. Alternating shots of Amy and John Smith on a food truck  
__tour of the city. Some shots show pleasant reactions, others  
__not so much. One set of images shows Amy's arm reaching into  
__the shot to wrestle a candy apple away from John Smith. The  
__next set shows John Smith's arm reaching into the shot to  
__shove the candy apple toward Amy._

_As the wall fills up, the rate of placement slows down until  
__finally, in real-time, Amy walks up and places the final  
__picture: one of herself and John Smith taken atop the Empire  
__State Building. We get closer until we're inside the photo._

_On the Observation Deck, Amy struggles to hold out the  
__camera in front of them so she can take a picture of both of  
__them with the city skyline behind them._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Maybe you should just...

_He puts his arm around her on one side and takes hold of the_  
_camera, extending the distance with his longer arms._

**JOHN SMITH  
**... let me.

_Amy looks over at him, noticing how close they are. He_  
_glances over at the same moment, putting them almost_  
_nose-to-nose. She smiles._

**AMY  
**Hello.

_He inhales sharply then turns back to the camera. He clears_  
_his throat then forces on a smile. He snaps a picture._

**AMY  
**Well, hang on. I wasn't even  
looking at the camera.

_John Smith smiles to himself as he glances at her out of the_  
_corner of his eye. He holds the camera steady as Amy puts on_  
_her best model face. John Smith snaps a photo. He goes to_  
_put his arm down, but Amy uses one hand to take hold of the_  
_camera and the other to keep his arm around her shoulder._

_She spins around so that they look out onto the city. She_  
_drops her grip on his arm, but he leaves it draped around_  
_her. She toys with her camera and leans into him._

**AMY  
**I think this is the perfect viewing  
distance.

_John Smith glances at her in his periphery._

**JOHN SMITH  
**It's lovely.

**AMY  
**High enough to see everything, but  
still close enough to tell there's  
actually something down there.

**JOHN SMITH  
**If only I could find that just  
perfect perspective from which to  
view life. I could use the clarity.

**AMY  
**Why? Is there anything... you  
know... weighing on your mind?

_Amy inadvertently reaches up and takes hold of The Doctor's_  
_locket. She rubs it between her thumb and forefinger._

_**FLASHBACK TO:**_

_**INT. TARDIS CONTROL ROOM - DAY**_

_Amy enters and sighs, reluctantly walking over to the video_  
_console. The screen flickers on to show The Doctor's paused  
face._

**AMY  
**Where were we, Doctor?

_Amy hits the green button._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Rule number thirteen-

**AMY  
**Oh, good, lucky thirteen.

**THE DOCTOR  
**This one's very important, Amy. I  
hope you haven't waited too long to  
watch this film.

**AMY  
**_(guiltily)_  
No... just a month...

**THE DOCTOR  
**You may notice, as time goes by,  
that I'll start to remember some  
details from my life as a Time  
Lord. I may even dream of it. It  
will seep slowly into my mind, but  
then drain out instantly if I try  
to think about it too hard. It may  
frustrate me. I may obsess over it.

_Amy scrunches up her face._

**AMY  
**Don't think that's happening yet.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Then again, I may not.

**AMY  
**So you have no clue. Shocker.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Last time-well, no matter about  
last time because you're not going  
to let that happen again.

**AMY  
**Let what happen again?

**THE DOCTOR  
**This may be a good time to  
re-emphasize: no love.

_Amy rolls her eyes and hits the green button again._

**AMY  
**I think that's about enough for  
today, Doctor. See you tomorrow,  
for rule fourteen. Or maybe the  
next day... or the one after that.

_She exits the TARDIS._

_**FLASH FORWARD TO:**_

_**EXT. EMPIRE STATE BUILDING OBSERVATION DECK - DAY**_

**AMY  
**I mean, you know we can talk about  
anything. Even if you have any  
thoughts that seem... odd?

_Amy turns to John Smith, breaking away from his loose grip._  
_He faces her, looking confused._

**JOHN SMITH  
**What do you mean... "odd?"

**AMY  
**You know... just... weird  
thoughts... strange dreams...

_John Smith narrows his eyes then glances down at the locket_  
_as Amy continues to keep her grip on it._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Have you always worn that?

**AMY  
**No, not always. Lately.

_Amy bends down to stow her camera in a bag by her feet._

**JOHN SMITH  
**I've never noticed it before.

_Amy stands up straight again._

**AMY  
**I got it from a friend.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Oh?

**AMY  
**Not, like, a boy or anything.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Oh.

**AMY  
**I mean, not like a real boy.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Okay.

**AMY  
**Not that that matters...

**JOHN SMITH  
**I think it probably matters.

_He runs a hand through his hair then offers her a frustrated_  
_smile, rolling his eyes. _

**JOHN SMITH  
**You know, to me.

**AMY  
**What matters to you?

**JOHN SMITH  
**If you're receiving gifts from  
strange men.

_Amy chuckles._

**AMY  
**Well... strange men aren't real  
boys. This one especially.

_John Smith laughs and shakes his head._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Amy Pond, you say the most  
peculiar things sometimes.

_Amy shrugs and smiles mysteriously._

**AMY  
**Part of my charm, I suppose.  
_(beat)_  
So... where would you like to get  
to next, Smith?

_He takes a slow step toward her._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Maybe we should stop while we're  
ahead. I don't know if it gets any  
better than this.

_Amy looks around, but he looks right at her, drifting a bit_  
_closer._

**AMY  
**Oh, I don't know, Johnny, I think  
you might be surprised at how much  
more there is... than this.

**JOHN SMITH  
**How I wish you could see that there  
honestly isn't.

_Amy looks at him with a tilted head. It suddenly hits her:_

**AMY  
**We're not talking about  
sight-seeing anymore, are we?

_He shakes his head, leaning toward her. Amy's eyes widen._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Finally, she understands.

**AMY  
**John...

_He moves in to kiss her, but she evades him, stepping around_  
_him. He turns around to face her again._

**JOHN SMITH  
**You don't have to be scared.

**AMY  
**I'm not scared. I'm just...  
conflicted. You... you do  
understand what that means?

**JOHN SMITH  
**That at least half of you really  
wants to kiss me right now?

_A flicker of panic lights Amy's face before it's too late:_  
_John Smith kisses her. Amy resists for as long as she can_  
_(somewhere around 0.5 seconds) then she kisses him back._

_Encouraged, he runs a hand up through her hair. She grips_  
_his shirt and pulls him closer. Then reality hits. She uses_  
_her same grip to pry him back from her._

**AMY  
**We can't. We... can't.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Pretty sure we just did.

**AMY  
**No. No, no, no...

_Amy paces in front of him._

**AMY  
**If you remember this, just remember  
that I stopped you, okay?

**JOHN SMITH  
**If I remember?

_Amy pauses for a moment to consider him._

**AMY  
**Gah, I hope you don't remember.  
_(beat)_  
Kind of hope I do, though, 'cause  
you're a really great kisser.

_John Smith smiles shyly, but then steps up to her again. She_  
_back away._

**AMY  
**No. Don't do that. You can't do  
that, okay? You just... can't.

**JOHN SMITH  
**But, you just said-

**AMY  
**This is definitely not supposed to  
happen. This was not in the plan.  
In fact, this is completely against  
the plan. First apples, now this.  
You're not allowed-

**JOHN SMITH  
**Not allowed? We're adults.

**AMY  
**Okay, a different approach. You're  
supposed to be my best friend.

**JOHN SMITH  
**I still am.

**AMY  
**But, but...

**JOHN SMITH  
**Amy, it's fine-

**AMY  
**Yeah, sure, of course, you think  
it's fine. And you think this is  
the top of the universe.

_She gestures around._

**AMY  
**But, I promise you, there's so much  
more. And there's more than this.

_She gestures between them._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Yeah, more than this...  
_(he gestures between them)_  
...is what I've been wanting for as  
long as I can remember.

_Amy looks at him apologetically._

**AMY  
**You really believe that, don't you?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Yes, Amy, I really believe that.

**AMY  
**I'm sorry, but we have to stay  
friends. That's all we can be. And  
that's... that's final.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Friends or nothing?

**AMY  
**Nothing is not an option for us.

**JOHN SMITH  
**We've exhausted all the other  
possibilities, Amy, and, frankly,  
"nothing" is all that's left.

_He storms away and out the nearest exit. Amy is left,_  
_dumbfounded. She grabs the locket and opens it just a crack._

**AMY  
**Doctor, what do I do?

**THE DOCTOR  
**_(airy and distant)_  
Close the locket.

**AMY  
**What? But I need you-

**THE DOCTOR  
**_(more solid, insistent)_  
Close it. Now.

**AMY  
**No! Doctor, I need-

**THE DOCTOR  
**_(demanding)_  
Right now!

_Amy clicks the locket closed and throws her arms into a_  
_fold, leaning back against the wall of the Empire State_  
_Building observatory deck._

**AMY  
**Now what do I do?

_She shakes her head then leans it against the wall, closing_  
_her eyes._

**_FADE TO BLACK._**


	7. Since Fish Fingers & Custard

**Author's Note:** Amy's not supposed to let the human version of The Doctor fall in love... so what's she supposed to do when he falls for her? I guess you're about to find out. I hope you enjoy the chapter and please let me know what you think. Thanks!

* * *

**_INT. BIG APPLE APARTMENT - DAY_**

_Amy walks in carrying her camera bag and almost runs into_  
_John Smith as he heads for the door with a suitcase._

**AMY**  
What are you doing?

**JOHN SMITH**  
Moving out.

**AMY**  
What?!

**JOHN SMITH**  
Pardon me.

_He walks around her. She tosses her bag onto the kitchen_  
_counter and doubles around on him to stop him from getting_  
_out the door._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Amelia, please move.

**AMY  
**We need to talk.

**JOHN SMITH  
**There's nothing left to say. I  
finally put it all out there and  
you... you didn't want it and  
that's fine, but-

**AMY  
**You can't go. I'm sure if we just  
talk, we can work this out.  
John Smith tosses his suitcase down.

**JOHN SMITH  
**_(annoyed)_  
You'd like to talk, would you?

**AMY  
**Or... I can listen.

**JOHN SMITH  
**You honestly want to hear what else  
I have to say to you?

**AMY  
**Yes!  
_(more to herself)_  
If it keeps you in this flat.

_John Smith takes a deep breath and walks up to her._

**JOHN SMITH  
**I've fancied you since fish fingers  
and custard and I've been following  
you ever since, but you give me  
nothing, Amy, nothing in return.

_Amy stares at him, dumbstruck._

**AMY  
**_(quiet)_  
That's really unfair.

**JOHN SMITH  
**But I'm not going to follow you  
anymore. I am going to go out and  
find my own way, and maybe find  
someone willing to share a little  
affection with me-willing to share  
a life with me.

**AMY  
**What is it that you want me to do?  
Kiss you? Marry you? Love you?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Any or all of the above would suit  
me just fine. The problem is, you  
don't want it.

**AMY  
**_(talking to the room)_  
This is not fair!

_She walks closer to John Smith._

**AMY  
**You've got no clue how difficult  
this is for me. And you really have  
no idea what I want. You don't.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Oh, I've think you've done well to  
show me what you want today, Amy.  
Or, more correctly, what you don't.

**AMY  
**There are so many more variables at  
play here than you could possibly  
understand. There are things about  
me that you don't know.

**JOHN SMITH  
**I think I know you pretty well.

**AMY  
**But you don't know everything. You  
can't know everything. Not yet.

**JOHN SMITH  
**And who's in control of that?

**AMY  
**That's actually more difficult to  
explain than you'd imagine.

**JOHN SMITH  
**If you want me, Amy Pond, tell me.  
And, if you don't... tell me goodbye..

**AMY  
**Hold that thought.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Do what?

_Amy runs off. We follow her into her bedroom and into the_  
_TARDIS. She paces around, nibbling on her thumbnail. She_  
_walks over to the video screen and hits the green button,_  
_using a control dial to rewind. She stops._

**THE DOCTOR  
**And corollary to the "don't let me  
hurt anyone" rule: don't let me  
fall in love with anyone.

**AMY  
**We're good there. He's feeling hate  
much more than love. Thanks to you.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Remember, human me: totally  
different-much more... human.

**AMY  
**Much, much, much more human...  
and so very boy.

**THE DOCTOR  
**If I even look like I might start  
to fancy someone-stop me.

**AMY  
**Too late.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Distract me. Do whatever it takes.

_Something occurs to The Doctor._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Unless it turns out to be-well,  
never mind, that would be highly  
unlikely considering the details  
are to be filled in by the TARDIS.

_Amy scowls and hits the green button. She paces around_  
_again, talking loud and presumably addressing the TARDIS._

**AMY  
**You did this. Why? Is the moral  
that I can fancy him all I want and  
I can follow him everywhere, but he  
can never be with me because I'll  
never understand things the way he  
understands them? Because he's a  
Time Lord and I'm a human.

_The ship lights blink._

**AMY  
**But what's the real takeaway,  
though? That I should stand up for  
myself like that poor bloke out  
there has done? That if The Doctor  
doesn't want to be with me, he  
doesn't get me in his life at all?  
That I should run off and leave him  
and this whole brilliant life  
behind just because he doesn't  
return my feelings for him?

_The ship lights blink again._

**AMY  
**Well, newsflash, message received;  
message ignored. I'm not giving him  
up. The thing is, he needs me... as  
much-if not more-than I want him.

_The ship rocks a bit._

**AMY  
**And the same is true here, but in  
reverse, with Mr. Johnny Smith. He  
wants me, but I need him. I need  
him to let me take care of him, to  
let me keep him safe... to let me  
keep him alive. He doesn't  
understand the significance of all  
this, but I do. I need him...  
because I want The Doctor back.

_The ship settles again._

**AMY  
**Because I'd never leave the Doctor.  
I'm not going anywhere. And, you  
know what? Neither is John Smith.

_Amy storms out of the TARDIS. It powers down with a relieved_  
_sounding hum. Amy re-enters and the lights flick back on._

**AMY  
**And don't you dare tell him what I  
said about fancying him. It's not  
why I stay with him... it's just...  
a side effect of traveling with The  
Doctor. But I'm sure you understand  
that a tad too well after all this  
time, don't you?

_The power cuts off suddenly. Amy smirks._

**AMY  
**Thought so.

_**INT. BIG APPLE APARTMENT - DAY**_

_Amy storms out into the living room. John Smith is at the kitchen_  
_counter, drinking from a glass of water. He sets the glass_  
_down when he sees Amy, swallowing. She starts to speak:_

**AMY  
**Now, you listen and listen good-

**JOHN SMITH  
**I hope you'll listen first.

_John Smith smiles amicably. Amy raises her eyebrows._

**JOHN SMITH  
**I'm sorry I kissed you; I'm sure it  
took you by surprise. Though, in  
the future, if you plan to reject a  
bloke, you might want to consider  
not returning his kiss... or  
telling him he's a good kisser.

**AMY  
**A really good kisser.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Not helping. Hush.

**AMY  
**Sorry.

**JOHN SMITH  
**It's just... all these years... all  
these years, I've fancied you, I've  
wanted you... but you never gave me  
any indication that you felt the  
same way. I'd given up on it,  
really, but then... one day a few  
months back, you said I was  
handsome... then you started taking  
me on these great adventures...  
I've never had so much fun.

**AMY  
**You really have, though.

**JOHN SMITH  
**And today, the way you looked at  
me... I just thought... and I  
couldn't help myself, but I should  
have done... because you're my best  
friend. Amelia Pond, you're my very  
best friend-my very favorite  
person-in the whole universe.

**AMY  
**The whole universe?

_He smiles._

**AMY  
**Just this universe, though.

_John Smith doesn't get the joke._

**JOHN SMITH  
**I was wrong in giving you an  
ultimatum before. What was I even  
suggesting? That if I don't get  
what I want... then I want out?

**AMY  
**It's a reasonable thought process.

**JOHN SMITH  
**But it isn't fair to you. You, Amy  
Pond, who needs me every bit as  
much as I want you.

_Amy looks at him curiously._

**AMY  
**I do. Need you. I really do.

**JOHN SMITH  
**And you are very important to me.

**AMY  
**You're important to me, too. You  
have no idea.

**JOHN SMITH  
**So... what are we going to do?

**AMY  
**Well... we could just... pretend  
like nothing's happened. That  
usually seems to work...

**JOHN SMITH  
**Really? 'Cause that actually just  
sounds wholly unhealthy.

**AMY  
**Got a better idea?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Nope.

**AMY  
**So... we're pretending like it  
never happened then?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Pretending like what never  
happened?

_Amy looks confused for a moment, but then catches on._

**_FADE TO BLACK._**


	8. Geronimo

**Author's Note:** Shortest. Chapter. Ever. Apologies in advance. I just wanted this to be it's own little thing. More to come soon... when "Star Day" arrives. Also, since this is so short, some free information: I use the free program Celtx for screenwriting. If you're interested in that kind of thing, the website is Celtx with a dotcom after.

* * *

_**INT. BIG APPLE APARTMENT - DAY**_

_Amy walks to the calendar on the wall and crosses off the_  
_last day before the starred date on the calendar. Amy_  
_touches the star then runs her fingers over the locket._

**AMY  
**We can do this, Doctor. Just for  
one more day, we can do this. Which  
reminds me, I should really watch  
those last few rules...

**_INT. TARDIS CONTROL ROOM - DAY_**

Amy leans forward, nodding off, as The Doctor (still  
shirtless and bow-tied) speaks on screen.

**THE DOCTOR  
**And that completes part Q-the  
final part-of rule number  
thirty-four: fashion dos and  
don'ts.

**AMY  
**Pretty sure John Smith got those  
backwards.

**THE DOCTOR  
**I don't want to look at photographs  
of my time as a human and be unable  
to enjoy them because I am so  
distracted by stupid t-shirts or  
hooded-well, hooded anythings.

_Amy laughs._

**AMY  
**Doctor, how did you not die during  
the filming of these rules? They're  
all so long. Not to mention tedious  
and entirely unimportant.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Rule number thirty-five. Last rule.

_The Doctor straightens his bow tie which looks silly_  
_considering his lack of shirt._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Perhaps you've figured it out by  
now, but most of these rules are  
tedious and entirely unimportant.

**AMY  
**Ya think?

**THE DOCTOR  
**This wasn't really meant to provide  
you guidance-though the apple rule  
was completely legitimate. Still,  
you're good. You don't need rules.

_Amy smiles._

**THE DOCTOR  
**I'm assuming that by the time you  
get here, it'll be nearly time for  
me to return and, while I've been  
there all along, I think we both  
know the human me is nothing like  
The Doctor me. Aside from his  
dashing good looks, of course.

_Amy narrows her eyes and looks around at the TARDIS_  
_suspiciously._

**AMY  
**No comment.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Anyway, what I've presented as  
thoroughness was really just meant  
to keep us connected, force you  
into a long-standing date with me.

**AMY  
**So I wouldn't forget you? I think  
it would take more than three  
months... of hanging out with a boy  
who looks exactly like you.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Not because I think you'd forget  
me-of course you wouldn't-but  
just in case you don't remember me.

_Amy scrunches her nose._

**THE DOCTOR  
**What I mean is, in case you don't  
remember how much you like me... in  
case you don't remember to miss me.

**AMY  
**Oh, Doctor, of course I miss you.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Here I am forcing your hand. I  
mean, how could you not miss this.

_He gives his bow tie a tug then looks down at his shirtless_  
_chest. He looks back up at the camera, a bit chagrined._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Anyway, human me might be tempting  
to keep around longer than  
necessary so... here I am...  
keeping you away from him... for as  
long as I can

_Amy laughs._

**AMY  
**You're jealous of good old Johnny  
Smith? That's sort of funny.  
_(a beat)_  
Then again, he is an excellent  
kisser. Maybe you should be  
jealous.

**THE DOCTOR  
**I mean, I know if you went off and  
turned yourself into a Time Lord  
Amy... I'd be tempted...

_Amy's eyes widen._

**AMY  
**Tempted to do what exactly?

_The Doctor looks off in consideration. He smiles._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Anyway, never mind about that. The  
point was, I'm assuming it's nearly  
time for my return. So that leads  
us back to the final rule:  
re-assimilate me slowly back into  
my Time Lord life. Show me  
things... ask me things... to  
remind me of who I am. But don't  
just go and tell me. Let me work it  
out on my own. And don't just pop  
open that locket and expect me to  
suddenly be standing before you.

_Amy listens carefully._

**THE DOCTOR  
**All right, Amy Pond, I think it's  
time for me to stop talking.

**AMY  
**That only took three months.

**THE DOCTOR  
**I miss you already.

_He arcs an eyebrow at the camera._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Geronimo.

He gets up and runs out of frame. The film ends. Amy nods.

**AMY  
**Geronimo...

_She takes a deep break and exits the TARDIS._


	9. Star Day Begins

**Author's Note:** Sorry it's been awhile since the last chapter was posted. I'm a teacher and it's getting to be that school-y time of year again. If you're looking for some Amy/John Smith tension, this chapter is for you. But will it go beyond that? I know some of you are rooting for Amy and John Smith a little bit so I want to say that I feel like Amy feels like she wants to be loyal to The Doctor and respect his "no love" rule. Obviously, that's difficult for her because John Smith IS The Doctor and it's her he's ended up falling for. That said, this is an Amy/THE DOCTOR story :)

* * *

**_INT. BIG APPLE APARTMENT - DAY_**

_Amy stands before the calendar with a pen. She circles the_  
_starred date then steps back to admire her work._

**AMY  
**Today's the day. Finally.

_John Smith exits his bedroom. He wears just boxer shorts and_  
_socks. He stops in his tracks when he sees Amy._

**JOHN SMITH  
**You're up early.

_She turns, blushing at his lack of clothing._

**AMY  
**You're not dressed.

_He groggily rubs an eye with the heel of his hand._

**JOHN SMITH  
**I'm just out of bed. And I am most  
certainly dressed...  
_(he glances down)_  
...ish.

**AMY  
**Dressed-ish? You're nearly naked.

_John Smith chuckles._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Come off it. I've got clothing on.

**AMY  
**You've got exactly one, two, three  
items of clothing on. If we were  
playing strip poker, you'd be broke  
and nearly busted.

_He smirks._

**JOHN SMITH  
**If we were playing strip poker, Amy  
Pond, I can assure you... I  
wouldn't give a damn.

_Amy chuckle-scoffs and shakes her head._

**AMY  
**You're not supposed to flirt with  
me, Johnny.

_She tucks her hair behind her ear._

**JOHN SMITH  
**I'm not supposed to fancy you,  
Amelia. But I don't have to fancy  
you to flirt with you.

_Amy presses her lips together, suppressing a smile._

**AMY  
**Someone's awfully bold this  
morning.

**JOHN SMITH  
**That's because someone isn't fully  
awake, and, as a consequence, his  
filter isn't functioning properly.

_He gives her a quick, smug smile and heads for the kitchen_  
_cabinets. He pulls out a glass and fills it from the tap. He_  
_drinks nearly the entire glass then sets it on the counter._  
_Amy watches every move until he turns around. She looks off._

**AMY  
**You know we have Princess  
Nevermind's six-month birthday  
portraits in about twenty minutes?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Mmm... that's right.

_He nods and walks over to Amy, pushing his hair back out of_  
_his face and stretching his neck from side to side._

**JOHN SMITH  
**And, hey, look at that, in addition  
to the visit from Her Majesty, our  
future Monarch of Coolness... it's  
also Star Day. Finally.

**AMY  
**What day?

_John Smith turns her toward the calendar. Standing behind_  
_her, he puts his chin on her shoulder. He reaches around her_  
_and points to the starred day._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Star Day.

**AMY  
**Oh, right, Star Day.

**JOHN SMITH  
**What is it anyway? You keep telling  
me it's a surprise, but-

**AMY  
**Exactly. It's a surprise. You won't  
find out until you stop asking.

_He closes his eyes. She glances at him out of her periphery_  
_vision then shrugs her shoulder against his chin._

**AMY  
**Go on, get dressed... and get your  
filter in gear. I don't want you  
inadvertently flirting with Hannah  
when she arrives. Plus, we need to  
come up with some special backdrops  
for Her Majesty.

_John Smith grumbles, but spins around and heads back to his_  
_room. Amy tips her head onto her shoulder where his chin_  
_was. She reaches out and runs her finger over Star Day then_  
_touches The Doctor's locket around her neck. She opens it_  
_just a crack._

**THE DOCTOR**  
_(airy, distant)_  
Amy, they're coming.

**AMY  
**What? Who?

**THE DOCTOR**  
I need just a bit more time.

**AMY  
**How much longer?

**THE DOCTOR**  
Hold off as long as you can without  
me. Even when they arrive.

**AMY  
**They who?

**THE DOCTOR**  
The pirates.

**AMY  
**Pirates?

**THE DOCTOR**  
As long as you can, Amy. Do you  
understand?

**AMY  
**No.

**THE DOCTOR**  
You will. You need to shut the  
locket now. I'll see you soon. And  
I can't wait. I miss you so.

**AMY  
**I miss you too, Doctor.

**THE DOCTOR**  
It's getting too dangerous. Close  
the locket. Now. Now!

_Amy snaps the locket closed. She sighs._

**AMY  
**How much longer?

**JOHN SMITH  
**How much longer until what?

_John Smith exits his bedroom wearing jeans and black_  
_Converse All Stars. He holds a white t-shirt in his hands._

**AMY  
**How much longer until...

_She turns around and notices John Smith's shirtless-ness as_  
_he walks up to her._

**AMY  
**... you get dressed? For crying out  
loud, put on that stupid shirt.

_She grabs the shirt from his hand..._

**JOHN SMITH  
**But I'm...

_...and throws it in his face._

**JOHN SMITH  
**... hot.

_Amy inadvertently glances down at his chest as he untangles_  
_the shirt from his head. He leaves the shirt around his neck_  
_like a scarf. He catches Amy checking him out and tips his_  
_chin forward inquisitively. He raises his eyebrows._

**AMY  
**Please. You're not that hot.

**JOHN SMITH  
**You know I meant "hot" as in the  
opposite of cold, right?

**AMY  
**Do I look concerned with your  
current thermal condition?

**JOHN SMITH  
**My what?

**AMY  
**How not cold you are...

**JOHN SMITH  
**Oh, well, no... you don't, but  
that's the problem, isn't it?

**AMY  
**Why is that a problem?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Because if it's not my "current  
thermal condition" you're  
interested in...

_He glances down then back up at Amy, eyebrow arched._

**AMY  
**I... oh, shut up. And clothe  
yourself, for goodness sake.

**JOHN SMITH  
**You are the mistress of mixed  
signals this morning.

**AMY  
**I... that's... I am not.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Are you joking? You can't even have  
a conversation with me unless I'm  
fully clothed.

**AMY  
**That's not unusual. Normal people  
only have conversations when  
they're fully clothed. Look at me,  
for example. I'm fully clothed.

**JOHN SMITH  
**You don't have to be.

_Amy snorts._

**AMY  
**What's gotten into you today?  
You're more than bold. You're  
downright cheeky.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Told you. Filter.  
_(he taps his head)_  
Thought it wasn't on yet, but I'm  
starting to think it might just be  
malfunctioning.

_He closes his eyes and shakes his head hard._

**JOHN SMITH  
**I'm just going to...

_He pulls his shirt over his head. Amy looks at him_  
_curiously._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Sorry. That was weird.

**AMY  
**What was?

**JOHN SMITH  
**That wasn't exactly me, was it?  
Would you normally describe me as  
"bold" or "cheeky?" For a moment it  
felt as if...

_He searches._

**AMY  
**It felt as if what?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Like there was something blocking  
me-some sort of interference-

**AMY  
**Interfering with what?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Interfering with me being me. I  
don't know. I must be going mad.

**AMY  
**What do you think of bow ties?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Perhaps I really am going mad. Did  
you just ask me what I think of...  
bow ties?

**AMY  
**Yes, I did. Do you think they're...

_John Smith waits. So does Amy._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Do I think they're what?

**AMY  
**Do you think they're... you know...

_John Smith leans his head forward in anticipation._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Do I think they're... ?

**AMY  
**Cool!

**JOHN SMITH  
**Bow ties?

**AMY  
**Yes.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Do I think bow ties are cool?

**AMY  
**Yes! It's a simple question.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Fine, um, no. I think bow ties are  
about as far from cool as you can  
get. They're right down there with  
braces and tweed jackets.

_Amy looks at him suspiciously._

**JOHN SMITH  
**What? Does that surprise you?

**AMY  
**Yes. No. Never mind...

_She thinks of something._

**AMY  
**Speaking of. We need to get these  
backdrops done. Come along.

_Amy walks over to the studio area. John Smith follows,_  
_shaking his head._


	10. Next Hitler

**Author's Note:** Another short-ish chapter, but here it is. Hope you enjoy it. Thanks for all your follows, favorites and feedback!

* * *

**_INT. BIG APPLE APARTMENT - DAY_**

_The pair work on setting up a sparkly pink background._

**AMY  
**You're awfully quiet. Too quiet.

_John Smith looks up at her, his thoughts interrupted._

**AMY  
**You're not rethinking your stance  
on bow ties, are you?

_John Smith smiles._

**JOHN SMITH  
**I was just thinking about King  
Nevermind.

**AMY  
**King who?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Hannah's husband. Up there in that  
Fritz Investments office... above  
us all... great view of the city  
every single day. Do you suppose he  
got his big promotion?

**AMY  
**I don't know. I hope he gets fired.

**JOHN SMITH  
**That's rather unkind of you.

**AMY  
**If you knew something bad was going  
to happen to someone, what would  
you do?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Has Hannah's husband done something  
wrong? Is that why you-

**AMY  
**It's a general question.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Make it more specific.

**AMY  
**If you knew someone was going to,  
say, be involved in a fatal car  
accident on a particular day, what  
would you do?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Easy enough. Tell them not to get  
into any cars on that particular day.

**AMY  
**What if it was a really humongous  
car accident and you don't know  
everyone who's involved?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Doesn't matter. I'd still  
intervene. I'd always opt to help  
someone rather than not. Even if  
it's just one someone... it's  
better than no one at all.

**AMY  
**But what if the accident was meant  
to happen and by stopping one  
person, you stop the whole thing?

**JOHN SMITH  
**That would be even better.

**AMY  
**But what if, as a result, you  
prevent the death of the next  
Hitler or someone?

**JOHN SMITH  
**You can't assume the next Hitler is  
actually going to become the next  
Hitler. We all have free will.  
Maybe saving his life would make  
him realize that... genocide sucks.

**AMY  
**Genocide sucks? Now there's a  
slogan worthy of a t-shirt.

_John Smith shrugs and moves over to work on some lighting_  
_equipment. Amy follows and watches for a moment._

**AMY  
**What if you'd been to the future  
and you knew next Hitler was  
actually bad? Would you still save  
his life in the present?

_John Smith pauses to consider this._

**JOHN SMITH  
**I guess I must have done... if I  
end up seeing him in the future.  
Amy rolls her eyes, but smiles.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Why? What would you do?

**AMY  
**Defer to you.

_John Smith chuckles._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Bossy Amy Pond would listen to me?

**AMY  
**Eventually. If you were right.

_A beat as John Smith contemplates something._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Traveling 'round in time and  
space-now that would be a real  
adventure, wouldn't it?

_Amy smiles to herself. Suddenly a frantic knock sounds at_  
_the front door of the apartment. John Smith heads over and_  
_opens it to reveal Hannah pushing a six-month-old Isabel in_  
_a stroller. She looks unnerved._

**HANNAH  
**_(distractedly)_  
Hey, what's up, John? Hi, Amy.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Hello, Hannah. We're not quite  
ready for Princess-uh, I mean  
Isabael, but if you'd like to-

**HANNAH  
**Have you seen the news?

_Hannah pushes Isabel inside, but leaves her by Amy and John_  
_Smith. She heads for the television set._

**HANNAH  
**It was on the radio, but the cab  
had crappy reception. I couldn't  
hear. Something about the...

_As the picture comes on the screen, Hannah freezes. Amy_  
_walks over to see as John Smith picks Isabel up from her_  
_stroller. She giggles at him. He bounces her on his hip as_  
_he joins the ladies._

_On the screen, the two towers of the World Trade Center are_  
_shown and some sort of flying vehicle has crashed into one_  
_of them near the very top. Smoke and fire engulf that floor._

**AMY  
**But it's... it's too early.  
Two-thousand one, not nineteen  
ninety-nine. Isn't that right?

**JOHN SMITH  
**How do you mean?

**AMY  
**Is it even September?

**JOHN SMITH  
**It's May. Hannah, what building  
does Isabel's dad work in?

_Hannah doesn't say anything._

**HANNAH  
**I need to go.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Hannah?

**HANNAH  
**Oh my God. Where's Izzy?

_She looks at the empty stroller._

**HANNAH  
**Where's Isabel?

**JOHN SMITH  
**She's here. She's right here.

_Hannah focuses on him then on her daughter. John Smith looks_  
_to Amy for some help. She snaps out of her shock to place_  
_her hands on Hannah's shoulders, easing her onto the couch._

**AMY  
**I'm sure he's fine.

**HANNAH  
**Thirteen floors down.

**AMY  
**Thirteen floors down?

_Hannah nods and drops to her knees in front of the TV. She_  
_puts her finger on the screen and counts down from the top_  
_of the building. She reaches 13. The crashed vehicle is on_  
_the floor below._

**HANNAH  
**No. No... it can't be.

**AMY  
**It's one floor off. I'm sure he's  
okay. He'll be okay.

_John Smith looks at Amy, holding Isabel a little closer to_  
_him. She looks back with a worried expression._

_**FADE TO BLACK.**_


	11. Come Along, Pond

**Author's Note: **I think I'm supposed to make up a subliminal (or at least vaguely subtle) way to give a shout out to my 9-loving, Dalek-owning, Amy-hating friend, but I'm not feeling particularly creative at the moment so I'll just say that this chapter is dedicated to you and, basically, you're awesome. To everyone else, sorry it's been so long. If you're still around to read, THANK YOU :)

**_INT. BIG APPLE APARTMENT - LATER_**

_Amy sits on the couch with her arm around Hannah. Hannah_  
_cries softly. John Smith sits on the floor, watching Isabel_  
_as she sits up on a blanket and plays with a toy._

**_NEWS_ ANCHOR**  
Today's events are still  
unexplained at this time. The  
unidentified craft you are seeing  
on your screens crashed into the  
the World Trade Center's north  
tower just after nine a.m. At  
present, we have no details to  
report regarding the status of  
those inside the building, but we  
are being told that rescue efforts  
are underway. Friends, family and  
all other citizens are being  
advised to stay out of the area.

_Amy rubs her hand against Hannah's shoulder as we swing_  
_around to the television. A far view shows that some sort of_  
_craft has wrecked into the north tower, but there is so much_  
_smoke that it is hard to see much more._

**HANNAH**  
May I use your phone?

_Hannah stands and Amy rises with her._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Of course. It's there... in the  
kitchen.

_Amy points her in the right direction then slips down to the_  
_floor and whispers to John Smith._

**AMY**  
That doesn't even look like a  
plane. Nothing about this is right.

_John Smith looks over at her, concerned. He drapes an_  
_arm her and pulls her in close while keeping an eye on_  
_Isabel. Amy leans her head on John Smith's shoulder._

**JOHN SMITH**  
They'll get it sorted.

**AMY**  
What is that?

_Amy leans forward and out of John Smith's grip. On screen,_  
_some of the smoke clears from the building and the_  
_helicopter providing footage ventures closer._

**JOHN SMITH**  
I dunno. It looks... green... and  
sort of... glowy.

**AMY**  
We need to go there.

_She stands. John Smith picks up Isabel and gets to his feet._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Amelia, are you mad?

**AMY**  
There's a big, green, glowy thing  
crashed into the World Trade Center  
over two years before anything like  
this should be happening. We need  
to find out what's going on. It's  
our responsibility, John.

_Isabel gurgles unhappily. John Smith rubs her back_  
_soothingly and bounces her on his hip._

**JOHN SMITH**  
What do you mean two years before  
anything like this should be  
happening? This shouldn't be  
happening at all. And how is it our  
responsibility to investigate  
green, glowy things?

**AMY**  
It's like your favorite program.  
With the FBI agents who investigate  
weird alien stuff...

**JOHN SMITH**  
The X-Files?

**AMY**  
I'll be the redhead-

**JOHN SMITH**  
Scully.

**AMY**  
Right. I'll be Scully. And you can  
be... the uh... the guy.

**JOHN SMITH**  
Mulder. Fox Mulder.

**AMY**  
Right. Scully and Mulder. His first  
name is really "Fox?"

**JOHN SMITH**  
I think you're more of a Mulder.

**AMY**  
What? But you're not ginger.

**JOHN SMITH**  
Scully's the skeptic. You, on the  
other hand, want to go chase green,  
glowy things. Very Mulder.

_John Smith starts to speak again, but stops himself as_  
_Hannah walks back over and sits back down on the couch._

**HANNAH**  
I paged him and left this number. I  
also left a message with his  
parents. Do you mind if we-

**JOHN SMITH**  
Stay as long as you need.

**HANNAH**  
Thanks.

_Hannah reaches out for Isabel. John Smith hands her over._

**AMY**  
Hey, Johnny, can you help me in my  
room for a tick?

**JOHN SMITH**  
Help you do what?

_Amy raises her eyebrows at him and nods toward her bedroom_  
_door. He nods in agreement._

**AMY**  
(to Hannah)  
We'll be right back, okay?

_Hannah nods absently as she rocks Isabel._

_**INT. AMY'S BEDROOM ROOM - DAY**_

_The room is reminiscent of her bedroom back in Leadworth..._  
_right down to the big blue police box stashed in the corner._  
_Amy and John Smith enter. She closes the door behind them._

**AMY**  
I think I'm supposed to ease you  
into this a little better, but-

**JOHN SMITH**  
Is this my surprise? Because,  
frankly, Amy, I'm not in the mood.

**AMY**  
Not in the mood? Let's see what we  
can do about that then.

_Amy gives him a mischievous smile then runs off into the_  
_TARDIS. John Smith shakes his head. He runs a hand through_  
_his hair, looking around. Amy exits the TARDIS carrying The_  
_Doctor's sonic screwdriver and his bow tie. She holds them_  
_out to John Smith. He looks from one to the other._

**JOHN SMITH**  
I don't get it.

**AMY**  
Sure you do.

_Amy hands him the sonic screwdriver and starts to put the_  
_tie around his neck. He stops her, pulling her hands down._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Is this a joke?

**AMY**  
No.

_He takes the bow tie and looks it over._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Is it kinky?

**AMY**  
What?!

**JOHN SMITH**  
First you obsess over bow ties and  
now, hello, bow tie...  
(he waves it around)  
...and whatever this thing is. What  
is this thing?

_He holds it out like a wand and looks it over._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Is this what I think I'm thinking  
this is?

**AMY**  
Do you think you're thinking it's a  
screw driver that uses sonic waves  
to... do... various things? Or,  
undo them, as the need arises.

**JOHN SMITH**  
A couple of those words were a part  
of what I thought I was thinking.

_Amy rolls her eyes. She turns John Smith toward the TARDIS._

**AMY**  
See that big blue box?

_John Smith looks over at it._

**JOHN SMITH**  
What about it? You were just in it.

**AMY**  
Have you ever seen it before?

**JOHN SMITH**  
I've certainly never noticed it.  
Blimey, how'd you get this in here?  
And how did I not notice it?

_He walks over to it, running a hand over the blue doors._

**AMY**  
Want to go inside?

_John Smith looks at her over his shoulder. He shrugs then_  
_pulls on the door. It doesn't budge._

**AMY**  
What are you doing?

He points to the sign. Specifically, to the word "pull."

**AMY**  
Whatever.

_Amy walks over and pushes on the door to open it. She_  
_gestures for John Smith to enter. He walks in slowly then_  
_jumps back out wearing a shocked expression. He looks at Amy_  
_as she grins. He looks at the box again._

**JOHN SMITH**  
It's... it's...

_He paces around the box, trying to wrap his head around it._

**JOHN SMITH**  
It's so much smaller on the  
outside.

_Amy laughs._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Well, it is.

**AMY**  
That's rather pessimistic. Usually,  
we say it's "bigger on the inside."

**JOHN SMITH**  
We who?

_Amy laughs again._

**AMY**  
Come along, Smith.

**JOHN SMITH**  
Stop saying that.

**AMY**  
Fine. You say it. To me.

**JOHN SMITH**  
No. Amelia, what the hell is this  
thing?

**AMY**  
Say it. "Come along, Pond." Say it,  
and I'll explain.

_John Smith looks at her reluctantly, but she folds her arms_  
_and waits. He sighs, but then smiles slightly._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Come along, Pond.

**AMY**  
I thought you'd never ask!

_She grabs his arm and heads for the TARDIS._

**_FADE TO BLACK._**


	12. The North Tower

**Author's Note:** Hello. Happy belated Thanksgiving. Always looking for feedback. Please and thank you :)

_**INT. TARDIS CONTROL ROOM - DAY**_

_John Smith leans against the control panel with his arms_  
_folded as he looks around. He turns his attention to Amy._

**AMY**  
_(to the TARDIS)_  
Okay, listen, I know you can hear  
me. Obviously, I haven't been  
properly trained to fly this thing  
and I don't want to pop off to the  
ice age or somewhere so perhaps you  
could autopilot us to the North  
Tower of the World Trade Center?

_She looks around. No apparent response comes. She groans._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Um... Amy?

**AMY**  
Not now.

_She steps up and puts both hands on the console._

**AMY**  
_(to the TARDIS)_  
I know the rules, but this is most  
definitely not in the original time  
line. This isn't a fixed point.  
When events are in flux like this  
we're allowed to intervene.

_John stares at Amy, his brow knitted._

**JOHN SMITH**  
To whom exactly are you speaking?

**AMY**  
Zip it, Johnny.

_John opens his mouth to counter, but rethinks it._

**AMY  
**_(to the TARDIS)_  
Fine. I'll just open the locket.

_She takes the locket in her hands. The lights flash. Amy_  
_lets go of the locket as satisfied smile touches her lips._

**AMY**  
_(to the TARDIS)_  
So... World Trade Center? Yeah?

_The lights flash again. A slow and low grumble sounds._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Amy, what is this thing?

**AMY**  
Huh? Oh, it's... a ship.

**JOHN SMITH**  
A what?

_The TARDIS starts to rumble and rock._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Amy? Amy, what's happening?

**AMY**  
We're flying-

**JOHN SMITH**  
We're wh-whaaaaaaah!?

_John Smith is nearly thrown to the ground, but Amy grabs him_  
_by the arm and pulls him toward her. He grabs hold of the console._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Did you say we're flying?

**AMY**  
_(loud, over the rumble)_  
Or teleporting... or spinning  
through a time-spacey worm-hole-y  
thing. I've never been quite clear.

_They both hold on for dear life and shout when they speak:_

**JOHN SMITH**  
What you're saying is that we're  
traveling right now? Traveling to  
the World Trade Center in pursuit  
of something green... and glowy?

**AMY**  
Basically, yes. Sorry for the crash  
course.

**JOHN SMITH**  
Oh, please, please, please don't  
use the word "crash" right now.

_The shaking and noise stop suddenly. John Smith stands up_  
_and futzes with his hair as he looks around then looks at_  
_Amy. She shrugs and walks toward the door._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Wait, wait, wait...

_John Smith grabs her hand and stops._

**JOHN SMITH**  
What... uh... what-

_He shakes his head and drops his arms to his sides._

**JOHN SMITH**  
What?

_Amy smiles._

**AMY**  
Trippy, huh?

_She turns back to the door, but John Smith doubles around on_  
_her and blocks her path._

**JOHN SMITH**  
What exactly is on the other side  
of this door?

_He thumbs over his shoulder._

**AMY**  
I'm not certain, but-

**JOHN SMITH**  
And what am I supposed to do with  
this... uh... screwdriver, was it?

_He pulls the sonic screwdriver from his pocket. A flicker of_  
_recognition cross his face as he looks at the screw driver._

**AMY**  
Just... keep it... handy.

**JOHN SMITH**  
Handy... right.

_He tightens his grip and practices waving it around. Amy_  
_walks around him and heads for the door._

**_INT. 97TH FLOOR OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER - DAY_**

_The TARDIS is in the middle of an open office area. No_  
_employees are present and an eerie green fog hangs in the_  
_air. Amy and John Smith exit the TARDIS._

**JOHN SMITH**  
This is unbelievable. We're really  
here. We're in the North Tower.

**AMY**  
Yeah...

**JOHN SMITH**  
But how are we here?

**AMY**  
I told you. We traveled here.

**JOHN SMITH**  
In the blue police box?

**AMY**  
In the TARDIS.

**JOHN SMITH**  
TARDIS? Okay. But how?

_He circles the TARDIS then returns to her._

**JOHN SMITH**  
How does it work?

**AMY**  
As I said before, I don't-I mean,  
I'm not really-How should I know?

**JOHN SMITH**  
It's your ship!

_Amy frowns._

**AMY**  
I wouldn't really call it... mine.

**JOHN SMITH**  
Whose is it then?

_Amy groans, squeezes her eyes shut and balls up her hands._

**AMY**  
Why can't you just remember?! Why  
can't you just go put on your  
stupid braces and bow tie and spew  
out all your mad theories while I  
desperately chase after you?

_John Smith stares at her._

**AMY**  
What is it?

**JOHN SMITH**  
Nothing you've said since you  
showed me your... this ship... none  
of it's made sense, but a scenario  
where you're chasing after me? I  
mean if you want a mad theory,  
that's it, isn't it?

**AMY**  
Stop making everything so personal.  
This isn't about you and me. Can't  
you see there is something big and  
important and strange going on?

_Amy gestures around._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Yes, of course I can, but it seems  
to me there's something even  
bigger, more important and,  
frankly, stranger... going on...  
right here.

_He gestures between them with the sonic screw driver._

**AMY**  
Oh, will you just come along?

_She grabs his hand and leads him toward a door marked with a_  
_sign for stairs and a red, glowing exit sign above it._

**_INT. STAIRWELL - DAY_**

_The stairwell is darkened. Amy leads John Smith by the hand_  
_as they reach the 98th floor._

**JOHN SMITH**  
This is Isabel's dad's floor.

_He points to the number on the wall. John Smith starts_  
_toward the stairwell exit, but Amy grabs his hand._

**AMY**  
Wait.

_He looks down at her grip, but doesn't take his hand away._

**AMY**  
It's important that you keep calm.  
Can you handle that? No matter what  
we find out there-

**JOHN SMITH**  
It can't be any more unusual than  
what was back in that blue box.

_Amy chuckles._

**AMY**  
Nothing is more unusual than what  
typically arrives in that blue box.

_Amy looks at John Smith for a long beat. He takes a step_  
_toward her._

**JOHN SMITH**  
I feel like you know something I  
don't. Actually, like you know  
quite a few somethings I don't.

**AMY**  
Me? No. You're the one that knows  
all the somethings...

_John Smith takes another step towards her._

**AMY**  
You just... don't remember yet.

_He takes a deep breath._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Explain.

**AMY**  
But...

_She gestures to the door._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Please?

**AMY**  
I don't think I'm supposed to.

**JOHN SMITH**  
According to whom?

**AMY**  
What if I say... according to you?

_John Smith leans his head down, placing his forehead against_  
_hers. He smiles._

**JOHN SMITH**  
I don't really understand what  
you're saying to me, Amy, but...

_He closes his eyes and tilts his head from side to side as_  
_if a thought is occurring to him. He opens his eyes._

**JOHN SMITH**  
When I'm close to you, I feel like  
I'm supposed to be someone else.

Amy nods.

**JOHN SMITH**  
Someone bigger.

_He puts his hands gently on either side of her neck._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Someone... better.

_He moves in to kiss Amy, but stops as his thumbs slide over_  
_the chain of the locket around her neck._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Someone like... a doctor.

_Amy pulls back from him._

**AMY**  
What did you just say?

_They step apart._

**JOHN SMITH**  
That I want to be a doctor. Why  
would I say that?

_Amy shrugs._

**AMY**  
Maybe we should...

_She gestures to the door. John Smith nods and turns back to_  
_the door. When he tries to open it, it doesn't budge._

**JOHN SMITH**  
It's locked.

_Amy skips over to him and pulls the sonic screw driver from_  
_the pocket of his jeans. She hands it to him._

**AMY**  
Use it.

_He shakes it then waves it at the door like it's a wand. Amy_  
_shakes her head and marches over to him. She puts her hand_  
_around his and directs it much closer to the door knob._  
_After a few clicks, the door falls open. His jaw drops._

**JOHN SMITH**  
That's fantastic!

_He tucks the screwdriver back in his pocket. Amy smiles and_  
_wraps her arm through his elbow. They smile at one another._

**AMY**  
Geronimo.

**_INT. 98TH FLOOR OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER - DAY_**

_Amy and John Smith exit the stairwell, still looking at one_  
_another. John Smith arches an eyebrow._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Geronimo?

**AMY**  
Yes. Geronimo. Go with it.

**JOHN SMITH**  
All right. Geronim-oh... no...

_Amy and John Smith freeze as they find a futuristic_  
_long-barreled pistol in their faces. They glance at each_  
_other then put their hands in the air._

**_FADE TO BLACK._**


	13. X Marks the Spot

**Author's Note:** And now... who's on the other side of that gun? Will John Smith start to put the pieces together? Will our dynamic duo find Princess Nevermind's dad? All things you will learn in this chapter. Arrrrrrgh. Feedback always appreciated, matey.

**_INT. 98TH FLOOR OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER - DAY_**

_Amy and John Smith hold their hands in the air._  
_On the other side of the gun, a female purple-skinned_  
_humanoid alien, BONNYANNE, glares at them with one good eye._  
_The other is covered with a metal eye patch. A black_  
_bandanna covers her head. Her look is very "space pirate."_

_A male companion, TEACHEDWARD, joins her. He is of the same_  
_species and sports a similar pirate-y look: A grizzly black_  
_beard, a "peg leg" made of a brassy metal and a sword that_  
_looks half cutlass and half light saber._

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Begad, Bonnyanne! I thought we had  
all the bilge-sucking fleshies.

**BONNYANNE  
**Ay. Don't know where they came  
from, Cap'n Teachedward, but I sure  
know where they're headed.

_The pair chuckle. Amy and John Smith exchange a nervous_  
_glance, but then she gives him a reassuring look._

**BONNYANNE  
**Hold on, hold on. What have we  
here? I'm getting something. I  
think it's the flame-headed lass.

**AMY  
**Excuse me? You think what's me?

_The pirates look at her then at each other._

**TEACHEDWARD  
**The wench understands us. How is  
that possible?

**BONNYANNE  
**I don't know, Cap'n, but I'll find  
out. You can be sure of that.

_Bonnyanne steps closer to Amy, holding the gun against her_  
_temple. John Smith watches anxiously._

**BONNYANNE  
**How do you speak our words, wench?

**JOHN SMITH  
**You're speaking our language.

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Blimey! Another rum fellow!

**JOHN SMITH  
**Well, not exactly our language. I  
mean, what's next? Yo-ho-ho and a  
bottle of rum?

_Teachedward puts his sword against John Smith's chest._

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Use your tricky tongue only to  
clarify your presence and speech.

**AMY  
**We're just really good with  
languages, okay? It's our  
specialty. That's why we're here.

**TEACHEDWARD  
**The scurvied dogs of this planet  
sent you?

**AMY  
**Yeah-Yes. Yes, sir. On a mission  
of fact-finding and good will.

_Teachedward and Bonnyanne laugh._

**BONNYANNE  
**Unfortunately, dearie, facts and  
good will aren't really our game.

**AMY  
**In that case, why are you here?

**JOHN SMITH  
**_(sarcastic)_  
Isn't it obvious? They're after the  
treasure. X marks the spot and all.

_Both Teachedward and Bonnyanne turn to him._

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Who told you about our booty, you  
poxed earthling?

**JOHN SMITH  
**I... it was just a...

_Amy widens her eyes and shakes her head._

**JOHN SMITH  
**That doesn't really matter. We're  
here for the people who are trapped  
in this building.

**TEACHEDWARD  
**_(to Bonnyanne)_  
You addlepate, I thought the  
confunding cloaking was engaged.

**BONNYANNE  
**Ay.

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Then anyone trying to enter this  
cursed tomb should turn back and  
report that all is dandy. How did  
they make it this far?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Just let us get our people out  
safely and you can make off with  
all the booty you want.

_Teachedward and Bonnyanne glance at one another._

**BONNYANNE  
**Maybe it's him.

_He closes his eyes and sniffs in the air._

**TEACHEDWARD  
**It's as if she's masking him in  
some way. Protecting him.

_John Smith glances at Amy who stares ahead at the pirates._

**AMY  
**If you explain what treasure you're  
after... maybe we can help you.

**TEACHEDWARD  
**That's an easy one, my dear. We  
want energy. As handsomely as we  
can get it.

**JOHN SMITH  
**What do you mean energy? Like, fuel  
for your ship?

_The pirates chuckle._

**BONNYANNE  
**That's one way of putting it.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Okay, well, we have a lot of  
different types of energy so-

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Belay that talk! It's epoch energy  
we're after. The radiation that  
burns a particular moment into the  
very fabric of time and affects it  
in every dimension and from every  
angle. Enduring time-space energy.

_John Smith and Amy glance at one another, confused._

**BONNYANNE  
**Cap'n Teachedward, these scaliwags  
are useless to us. Let's put them  
in the hole with the others.

**AMY  
**The hole?

_Teachedward grins and shows off a set of spiky teeth._

**_INT. 98TH FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY_**

_The room is crowded with people: typical wall street types,_  
_secretaries, maintenance workers and messengers. Many sit on_  
_the floor while others pace._

_Amy and John are thrust into the room. The door is shut and_  
_somehow sealed behind them. A few people stand up to greet_  
_them, but most just stay where they are._

**AMY  
**_(to John Smith)_  
As holes go... not terrible.

_He nods in agreement then looks out to the crowd._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Excuse me, hello, we're looking  
for... uh... Isabel's dad?

**AMY  
**Hannah's husband.

_A handsome man in what was once a nice suit, DAVE,_  
_hesitantly walks up to them. He looks haggard._

**DAVE  
**I'm Izzy's dad. The name's Dave.  
Is she okay? And Hannah?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Oh, they're brilliant! Well,  
worried to death about you, but...  
otherwise, they're fine. Safe.

**DAVE  
**Okay... and you two are... ?

**JOHN SMITH  
**We're fine, thanks for asking.

**DAVE  
**Who are you?

**AMY  
**Um... well...

**JOHN SMITH  
**That's Amy Pond. I'm her assistant.

**DAVE  
**Amy Pond as in the photographer  
doing Izzy's portraits today?

**AMY  
**Guilty. Didn't get to that yet.  
Hope you understand.

**DAVE  
**How the hell did you end up here?

**JOHN SMITH  
**That is an excellent question,  
Dave. Just... excellent.

_He looks pointedly at Amy._

**AMY  
**The answer's not important. What is  
important is getting you lot out of  
here. Is this everyone?

**DAVE  
**Most people escaped down the stairs  
immediately after the impact.  
Before those purple freaks had a  
chance to evacuate their crashed  
flying saucer. Even the upper  
levels got out. Our floor, though,  
our ceiling was coming down and  
people panicked... got hurt...

_He motions around to indicate several banged up people._

**DAVE  
**By the time those the aliens-

**JOHN SMITH  
**Did you just say... did he say... ?

**AMY  
**Yes. Aliens. How does that possibly  
surprise you at this point?

**JOHN SMITH  
**It doesn't, I suppose, but where  
did they come from? How did they  
get here?

**AMY  
**In a ship. A "flying saucer" as  
Dave called it. It did look a bit  
disc-like on the telly.

**JOHN SMITH  
**So they traveled here... like we  
traveled across the city?

**DAVE  
**Like you did what?

**AMY  
**Probably not exactly like that. But  
who knows? They may have traveled  
light years or through time or  
perhaps they accidentally hit a  
wormhole. They clearly crash  
landed. Now they're panicked.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Space travel? Time travel?  
Wormholes? Those are all real?

_Amy smiles at him._

**AMY  
**Yes, John.

**JOHN SMITH  
**That's...

**AMY  
**Cool?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Impossible.

_Amy rolls her eyes and turns back to Dave who looks just as_  
_dumbfounded as John Smith._

**AMY  
**Carry on, please. Most people  
escaped. What about those on the  
floor just above us... where the  
ship actually crashed?

**DAVE  
**Stroke of luck. The firm that  
rented it declared bankruptcy last  
week. They just cleared out a few  
days ago. We felt sorry for them at  
the time, but now...

_He looks down and shakes his head._

**DAVE  
**Anyway, when the aliens got down  
here, they'd rounded up a dozen or  
so people from other floors.

_Everyone else is from this floor._

**JOHN SMITH  
**What sort of damage do their  
weapons do? They didn't look all  
that impressive.

**DAVE  
**The chick's gun, it's like some  
kind of laser cannon. And peg-leg  
Pete's sword? It's basically a  
light saber with... extra features.

**JOHN SMITH  
**I'm a bit confused. Are they aliens  
or pirates?

**AMY  
**That... is what you're confused  
about? A proper label? Really?

_John Smith shrugs. Amy pulls him off into a corner to speak_  
_to him privately._

**AMY  
**There's only one label you need to  
worry about. It's "hero." And it  
belongs to you. Unfortunately,  
there's something about these  
creepy purple space pirates that  
could possibly be extra dangerous  
to you so I can't open this locket  
and let you out, but-

**JOHN SMITH  
**The locket? I knew there was  
something... I felt it earlier.

_John Smith reaches to touch the locket, but Amy backs away._

**AMY  
**Yeah, and so did the pirates.

**JOHN SMITH  
**It's not that I want to be someone  
better... it's that I am someone  
better. That's what you've been  
trying to tell me today.

**AMY  
**I wouldn't say "better"... because  
you're lovely, Johnny, you really  
are. It's just that The Doctor-

**JOHN SMITH  
**The Doctor? Not a Doctor. The  
Doctor. Amy, I can't remember it,  
but... I can feel it. What you're  
saying... I know it's true.

**AMY  
**Great. Perfect. So...

**JOHN SMITH  
**We need to save these people.

**AMY  
**Uh huh...

_John Smith paces. He runs a hand through his hair._

**JOHN SMITH  
**This is when I would normally come  
up with a brilliant plan?

**AMY  
**Yep.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Urhhh, but I can't. I not him... or  
I'm not me. This is very confusing.

_Dave walks over._

**DAVE  
**Look, I don't really understand who  
you are or how you got here-

**JOHN SMITH  
**Shall we start a club?

**DAVE  
**Or why you think it's your job to  
save us, but we've been working on  
a little plan of our own.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Great. Perfect! Let's hear it then.

_Amy and John Smith turn to Dave._

**DAVE  
**If we try to break out of here  
through that main door, we're done,  
but if there was a back way out...

**AMY  
**Is there a back way out?

_Dave glances up._

**DAVE  
**The ventilation system.

_Amy grins._

**AMY  
**Cliché, but clever.

**DAVE  
**We could try to get out one at a  
time before they notice or-

**JOHN SMITH  
**Or... a few of us could go and break  
into their ship so we can better  
understand who they are and what it  
will take to defeat them.

**DAVE  
**Or swipe a few of their guns.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Thanks, Dave, fantastic backup  
plan. Shall we, Amy?

**AMY  
**I think you mean-

_He smiles mischievously._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Come along, Pond.

Amy smiles.

**_FADE TO BLACK._**


	14. Practical Amy Pond

**Author's Note: **Happy belated Christmas! Your feedback makes a perfect gift this holiday season :)

_**INT. VENT - DAY**_

_John Smith follows behind Amy as they slowly crawl on hands_  
_and knees through the over-sized ventilation shaft._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Why did those pirate aliens seem  
surprised we could understand them?

**AMY**  
Because they weren't speaking  
English... and neither were we.

**JOHN SMITH**  
Yes we were.

_Amy tilts her head from side to side._

**AMY**  
Maybe we were. I'm not actually  
sure how the whole thing works.

**JOHN SMITH**  
What whole thing?

**AMY  
**The TARDIS-

**JOHN SMITH  
**That's the blue box, right?

**AMY  
**Yes. And it works as a sort of  
universal translator.

**JOHN SMITH  
**But we weren't in the TARDIS.

**AMY  
**It has a certain range.

**JOHN SMITH  
**How far?

_Amy rolls her eyes as she slows her crawl._

**AMY  
**I appreciate your curiosity, but  
can we hold this debriefing later?

**JOHN SMITH  
**You don't have a clue, do you?

**AMY  
**Not even the first one, nope.

_They both laugh._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Perhaps you should just open the  
locket... then I'll know everything  
and I can explain it all to you.

_Amy stops moving forward. John Smith follows suit._

**AMY  
**Actually, you won't be able to  
explain anything because you, John  
Smith, won't be here.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Okay, so, perhaps keeping it closed  
is for the best.

**AMY  
**It's too dangerous anyway. We need  
to get rid of these pirates first.

_Amy starts shuffling forward once more. John Smith does the_  
_same, but comes to a stop a second later._

**JOHN SMITH  
**How do you feel about him?

_Amy pauses and looks over her shoulder with raised eyebrows._

**AMY  
**The peg-legged purple pirate?

**JOHN SMITH  
**The Doctor.

_Amy contorts herself around so they face each other._

**AMY  
**Not sure now is the proper time to  
have this conversation either.

_She glances around the vent._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Are you and he-

**AMY  
**Friends? Yep.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Just friends?

**AMY  
**So... I guess we're having this  
conversation then. Now. Here. In a  
vent. In the World Trade Center.  
With swashbuckling aliens wandering  
about in search of epic energy.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Epoch. Eeeee-pock.  
(beat)  
I look just like him, don't I? I'm  
like an amnesiac version of him?

**AMY  
**More like a human version.

**JOHN SMITH  
**He's not human?!

**AMY  
**No. He's-

**JOHN SMITH  
**Not an alien?

**AMY  
**Oh, nooooo, not an alien.

_John Smith looks relieved._

**AMY  
**Just a... non-earthling.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Oh my God. I'm an alien.

**AMY  
**A time and space traveling alien.

**JOHN SMITH  
**But he looks human.

**AMY  
**Yeah. He feels human, too.

_John Smith lays himself down on his stomach and props his_  
_chin up with his hands._

**JOHN SMITH  
**That's why you were conflicted.  
When we kissed-

**AMY  
**When you kissed me.

**JOHN SMITH  
**When I kissed you-

**AMY  
**Right.

**JOHN SMITH  
**And you kissed me back-

**AMY  
**I wouldn't exactly say I-

**JOHN SMITH  
**You saw him and you wanted him, but  
you got... me.

_Amy sighs and settles down to meet his eye level._

**AMY  
**Don't say it as if you're a  
consolation prize. That's not so.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Certainly feels that way.

**AMY  
**You're jealous of him. He's jealous  
of you-

**JOHN SMITH  
**He is?

**AMY  
**And none of it makes sense because  
you're the same person.

**JOHN SMITH  
**But we aren't, are we?

_Amy buries her face in her hands and groans._

**JOHN SMITH  
**I wear Nirvana t-shirts and  
Converse; he wears bow ties and,  
braces, did you say? Blimey.

**AMY  
**Well, you know, there's a cover...  
and then there's the actual book.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Fine. Let's talk content: hobbies  
and career. He fiddles around with  
a super sonic screwdriver-

**AMY  
**Just sonic screwdriver, it's  
called. No super-

**JOHN SMITH  
**And he travels through space and  
time. Not sure if that's recreation  
or employment-

**AMY  
**Bit of both, I suppose-

**JOHN SMITH  
**Me, on the other hand, I play  
football and make mix tapes. And  
the furthest I've aspired when it  
comes to a job is that I think I  
might like to apply to culinary  
school one day.

**AMY  
**You would?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Got some brochures, yeah.

_A beat as John Smith sighs sadly._

**AMY  
**Anyway, all these supposed  
differences you're cataloging,  
they're all surface. On the inside,  
in the ways that count, you're the  
same as him. I know-

**JOHN SMITH  
**You can't possibly-

**AMY  
**I know because I know him and  
because I know you. When I look  
into your eyes, I see it. Whatever  
it is-that confident kindness  
tinged ever-so-slightly with bitter  
uncertainty-I see it. In every way  
that's important, I see it.

_John Smith scrambles into a sitting position, his neck bent_  
_and his head touching the top of the vent._

**JOHN SMITH  
**You're just saying that to make me  
feel better about the fact that I'm  
a completely fictitious character.

_Amy sits up, her head just brushing the top of the vent._

**AMY  
**You're not fiction, Johnny.

**JOHN SMITH  
**I'm just not real.

**AMY  
**You're... you're here. And you're  
you. And you're wonderful.

_Amy puts a hand on his knee._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Just not wonderful enough... to be  
with you.

_He puts his hand atop hers._

**AMY  
**That simply isn't an option.  
She takes her hand away.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Because of him.

**AMY  
**Because of his instructions.

**JOHN SMITH  
**What instructions?

_Amy groans impatiently._

**AMY  
**I'm not supposed to let him-let  
you fall in love with anybody.

**JOHN SMITH  
**I hate to break it to you, Amy, but  
you failed. Miserably.

_Amy looks at him for a beat then shakes her head._

**AMY  
**No. It's not me you love. It's some  
romanticized, idealized Amelia Pond  
from an alternate, imagined  
timeline. It's the girl who slayed  
your bullies and sweet talked you  
into starting a photography  
business with her in New York City.

_Amy gestures around to indicate the city, but all that's_  
_there is vent. Some hair falls in her face. John Smith_  
_brushes it aside as he speaks:_

**JOHN SMITH  
**You're saying you-this practical,  
factual version of Amy Pond-would  
not have done these things?  
Amy bats away his hand.

**AMY  
**I-well, I don't know-

**JOHN SMITH  
**And exactly which Amy Pond was  
taking me around this gorgeous city  
on a million great adventures?

**AMY  
**It wasn't a million.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Because, while for you there is  
clearly a huge distinction between  
this Doctor and me-

**AMY  
**Your hard head matches his, as  
well. Haven't I said you're alike?

**JOHN SMITH  
**The transition from that other Amy  
to you is completely seamless.  
She's you. You're her.

_He smiles as a thought occurs to him._

**JOHN SMITH  
**And, you know, I'm starting to  
think maybe you're worth fighting  
for. Staying for.

_He leans in closer to her._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Existing for.

**AMY  
**That choice isn't yours to make.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Nor is it his since he isn't here  
to make it-even though I think his  
choice would probably surprise you.

**AMY  
**Since you so adamantly refuse to  
believe that you're like him, stop  
acting like you know him; you  
clearly don't know him at all. I  
know him.

**JOHN SMITH  
**I'll give you that you probably  
know the facts much better than I  
do, but this is much deeper than  
the facts, Amy. So much deeper.

_Amy sighs._

**AMY  
**I'm sorry you got caught up in  
this. It's unfair. But trust me  
when I say that what you feel...  
it's not what he feels.

_John Smith chuckles._

**AMY  
**What?

**JOHN SMITH  
**He just... must be very good-

**AMY  
**He is-

**JOHN SMITH  
**... at lying.

**AMY  
**What? The Doctor doesn't-

**JOHN SMITH  
**Oh, come off it. The Doctor lies.

_Amy stares at him and huffily folds her arms._

**JOHN SMITH  
**To you sometimes... to protect you.

_But he also lies to himself._

**AMY  
**Why would he lie to himself?

_John Smith offers a kindhearted smile._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Also to protect you.

_Amy scoffs._

**JOHN SMITH  
**I think-no, no... I feel... I feel  
like this is exactly what I-what  
he-I feel like we wanted this.

**AMY  
**You wanted what?

**JOHN SMITH  
**To be able to drop all defenses and  
just... see you... appreciate you.  
Fearlessly and ferociously.

**AMY  
**No. You're mad or maybe just  
misinterpreting, but The Doctor...  
he doesn't make things  
personal-particularly things  
like... that.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Then how can you possibly say that  
he and I are alike?

_Amy considers. She blushes when she speaks._

**AMY  
**Maybe I just wanted you to be.

_John Smith's face falls a little, but he nods._

**JOHN SMITH  
**What do you say we go have  
ourselves one last adventure,  
practical Amy Pond?

_She bites her lip then smiles gratefully._

**AMY  
**I say... come along.

_Amy scuttles back around and carries on crawling through the_  
_vent. John Smith sighs and shakes his head. He follows._

_FADE TO BLACK._


	15. Entropy Stone

**Author's Note: **Happy New Year. Thank you for the follows and the reviews. I know this is short, but at least it's something, right? Thanks!

_**INT. 99TH FLOOR OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER - DAY**_

_Amy and John Smith come tumbling out of a wall vent. A huge_  
_portion of the exterior wall and windows have been destroyed_  
_by the huge disc-shaped ship. Up close, it is still green_  
_and glowy. Clouds of green smoke hang heavy in the air._  
_Amy and John walk slowly and cautiously toward the ship._

_EXT. GREEN GLOWY SHIP - NIGHT_

_Amy and John Smith approach the door which is at ground_  
_level due to the angle of the crashed ship. There is no_  
_handle. Amy and John Smith look at one another. Amy shrugs._  
_John Smith leans against the door and pushes as if to slide_  
_the door sideways. That doesn't work so he pushes upward._  
_Amy shakes her head then reaches into his pocket to pull out_  
_his sonic screwdriver._

**AMY**  
Try this.

_He takes it hesitantly. She gives him a reassuring nod. He_  
_puts it up to the seam of the door then slides it all along_  
_this outside edge. Clicks and gears indicate it's working._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Almost got it... I think...

_The sound of a broken seal precedes the door opening. It_  
_slides down to reveal an entry into the ship. He turns to_  
_Amy with an expectant raise of his brow._

**AMY  
**Not bad.

_She smiles approvingly. He grins back._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Shall we?

_He offers her his hand. She ignores it and hooks her arm_  
_through his. She pulls him close as they enter the ship._

_INT. GREEN GLOWY SHIP - DAY_

_Inside, the ship has an elaborate deck with one large_  
_nautical-looking steering wheel in the middle. All panels on_  
_the wall are lit up green. Amy and John Smith enter._

_John Smith spins in place, taking in the ship._

**JOHN SMITH  
**It's very... green.

**AMY  
**And very glowy.

_John Smith nods._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Very, very glowy.

_He strides over to one of the wall panels._

**JOHN SMITH  
**What do you suppose makes it so  
glowy? Florescents? Neons?

**AMY  
**Probably something a bit more...  
alien. Something like...

_Amy looks around and spots a large, shiny, green rock in the_  
_middle of the steering wheel._

**AMY  
**That.

_She walks over with John Smith on her heels._

**AMY  
**What is it?

_She leans in to exam the green, glowing crystal._

**JOHN SMITH  
**It looks like Kryptonite.

_He leans in closer to examine the rock, which puts him_  
_closer to Amy. He glances down at the locket around her_  
_neck. She looks up to meet his gaze, finding herself nose to_  
_nose with him._

**JOHN SMITH  
**It's an entropy stone.

_Amy stands up straight, her cheeks red._

**AMY  
**A what?

_John Smith faces her and speaks animatedly:_

**JOHN SMITH  
**Okay, imagine a great big glass of  
chocolate milk with a straw inside.

**AMY  
**Oh... kay...

**JOHN SMITH  
**Well, it's nothing like that. I  
wonder what source of epoch energy  
they expected to find here.

**AMY  
**So this stone is a straw and all  
available epoch energy is the  
chocolate milk?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Yeah. No, but if it helps, yes.

**AMY  
**Wait, why did you say that? And how  
do you know it's an entropy stone?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Why are there so many songs about  
rainbows?

**AMY  
**I-what?

**JOHN SMITH  
**I don't know if it's the stone or  
if it's the locket or if it's just  
being in such close proximity to  
you, but he's starting to push  
through. I can feel his... madness,  
that's a good word for it, isn't  
it? I can feel it burrowing into my  
brain-or out of it. It's hard to  
pinpoint, but I am receiving one  
very clear message. The stone is  
dangerous and we need to leave.

**BONNYANNE**  
Aye, good message, that.

**FADE TO BLACK.**


	16. Pretty Please

**Author's Note: **This chapter is a little longer than the last. Working on the next one. To those who have asked, yes, I plan to finish. Perhaps slowly... but definitely surely. There are a few funny things that I wanted to mention. First, this chapter represents everything I had written prior to watching season 7 (well, everything except the ending which has been written for quite some time and sits waiting excitedly to be re-written and released). I say this is funny because, well spoilers, but just everything with the Angels and paradoxes and time energy and stuff... it's a lot along the lines of where I was planning to take this story. Not plot-wise, but just the "science" behind it. And, also, I just watched the Christmas special as I was editing this chapter and I loved that Clara said the TARDIS is "smaller on the outside," which is exactly what John Smith said in this story. I mean, I guess it's an obvious joke, but that definitely made me laugh. I guess Moffat probably wrote it before I did. Still delightful. And, now, I believe that is QUITE enough. Come along, reader...

**_INT. 99TH FLOOR OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER - DAY_**

_Amy and John Smith stand with their hands in the air outside_  
_the ship. Bonnyanne has her gun trained on them. The_  
_clip-clop of Teachedward's peg-legged walk comes before he_  
_appears from behind the ship._

**TEACHEDWARD  
**No change in the energy cells.

**BONNYANNE  
**You've been hornswaggled, Cap'n.

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Impossible.

**BONNYANNE  
**We should have stayed on course.  
It's Earth 2001 where we aimed, and  
it's Earth 2001 where we should  
have gone. Yer instinct must be  
failing in yer old age.

_Amy and John Smith trade a look: dissention in the ranks._

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Don't second guess yer Captain,  
matey. It's ye who scuttled me ship  
into this human hive.  
Amy rolls her eyes over his description.

**BONNYANNE  
**On yer order, Cap'n.

_He hobbles over to her, his voice more of a hiss:_

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Mark me words, wench, there's  
something here.

_Amy glances toward John Smith's pocket. He gets the hint_  
_then slowly starts to reach down for the sonic screwdriver._

**BONNYANNE  
**Something like these two dogs.

_She turns her attention back to Amy and John Smith. John_  
_Smith quickly puts his hands back in the air, his screw_  
_driver still in his pocket._

**AMY  
**We prefer "apes."

**BONNYANNE  
**Permission to blow the man down?

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Aye.

_Bonnyanne aims her gun at Amy._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Wait, wait.

_Bonnyanne impatiently cocks her head to the side._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Don't you find the pair of us  
peculiar? Showing up out of the  
blue and speaking your language?

**TEACHEDWARD  
**What of it?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Maybe it's us that drew you here.

**AMY  
**What?!

_Teachedward and Bonnyanne glance at one another._

**AMY  
**He's mad. We're just normal people  
who happen to be excellent at  
foreign communication.  
Interpreters, they call us.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Or... maybe we've got that epoch  
energy you're after.

**AMY  
**No. No, we don't. What would we  
know about energy? We're not even  
particularly... energetic.

_Teachedward moves in on John Smith._

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Yer lips are flapping, but all I  
hear is the whistle of the wind.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Hear this: you're Navititians. From  
the coldest, bleakest corner of the  
universe, you pair up and set sail  
across time in search of warmth and  
hope at the very moment it's lost,  
sucked up by grimness and frailty  
that cut so deeply time itself is  
branded to its core.

**AMY  
**Where is this coming from?

**JOHN SMITH  
**It feeds your black hearts as much  
as it fuels your shabby little  
ship.

**AMY  
**I think you should shut up now.  
Teachedwards grins arrogantly.

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Even a dimwit can swipe  
information.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Knowledge is power, as they say.

**BONNYANNE  
**You've got no power over us, earth  
scum!

**AMY  
**"Earth scum?" Seriously?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Sure I do... because I'm the source  
of the power for which you search.

_Bonnyanne and Teachedward glance at one another. Teachedward_  
_nods for Bonnyanne to come to him. With her gun still on Amy_  
_and John Smith, she goes to him. They speak privately._

**AMY  
**(through her teeth)  
What do you think you're doing?

**JOHN SMITH  
**This is what he would do, isn't it?

**AMY  
**Yes, but he would have a plan!

_John Smith gives her a quick grin._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Relax, Pond.

_Amy scrunches her nose and balls her fists._

**AMY  
**I will not relax! He left me in  
charge and I'm supposed to keep you  
safe. Now suddenly you're an expert  
on the purple space pirates and  
you've got a secret plan to bring  
them down-

**JOHN SMITH  
**Less bring them down; more get them  
out. I mean, I'm not completely  
insane. Or... am I? The Doctor's  
quite mad, isn't he?

**AMY  
**Perhaps, but you're not!

**JOHN SMITH  
**You told me to be a hero, Amy-

**AMY  
**That is a gross misquote-

**JOHN SMITH  
**So let me be a hero.

**AMY  
**But-

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Okay, ye cocky scaliwag, tell us  
what we need to know. Where's our  
epoch energy and how do we get it?

**BONNYANNE  
**Please say all it takes is to  
murder of one ye.

_She trains her gun steadily on John Smith._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Nope, sorry, it involves a little  
travel and, well, you're ship's  
nice and all, but it's clearly  
rubbish at the moment so we'll have  
to take our ship.

**BONNYANNE  
**Yer ship?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Yes. Come along, purple pirates.

_John Smith starts walking away. Bonnyanne takes aim at the_  
_back of his head, but Teachedward pushes her gun down. Amy_  
_stares in surprise as the pirates follow behind John Smith._

_Amy follows them all._

**INT. STAIRWELL - DAY**

_John Smith and Amy walk ahead of the pirates._

**JOHN SMITH  
**It's really quite simple. We'll  
take our ship to your ship before  
you crash land. We'll tell your  
past selves to proceed to 2001 as  
planned. No side trips.

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Yer plan is poxed. The likes of us  
can't interfere with those old  
versions. The paradox-

**JOHN SMITH  
**Paradox schmaradox. Amy and I will  
talk to your former selves.

**AMY  
**We will?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Then we'll just hop back on our  
ship and head out.

**AMY  
**What'll happen to them?

**BONNYANNE  
**Good question, lassie.

**JOHN SMITH  
**The future them-this them-will  
merge with the past them once their  
course is definitively altered.

**AMY  
**Really?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Of crouse.

_Amy gives John Smith a skeptical look as they continue up_  
_the stairs. He gives her a sheepish and subtle shrug._

**BONNYANNE  
**(to Teachedward)  
The swab's plan might work.

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Aye.

_Amy and John Smith exchange a look. He smiles reassuringl_y.

**_INT. TARDIS CONTROL ROOM - DAY_**

_John Smith and Amy enter with Teachedward and Bonnyanne_  
_close behind._

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Shiver me timbers!

**BONNYANNE  
**Begad, she's bigger on the inside!

**JOHN SMITH  
**Not as green or glowy as yours, but  
she'll get us there.  
_(to Amy)_  
Won't she?

_Amy shrugs._

**TEACHEDWARD  
**She better or ye pair'll be walking  
the purple plank.

_John Smith frowns in disgust at the sound of that._

**AMY  
**So... we're going to their ship  
just before it crashed into the  
tower, right?

_John Smith looks at her quizzically, but she glances around_  
_the TARDIS._

**AMY  
**Just want to make sure our  
navigation system is properly set.

**BONNYANNE  
**Navigation system? Lazy lubbers.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Right... the navigation system.  
Yes, yes, we need to set it for  
before the Navititians crashed.

_He moves over to the control console. Bonnyanne aims her gun_  
_at him. Teachedward draws his sword._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Now, now. I've got to pilot. Unless  
either of you know how to fly her?

_They glance at one another and lower their weapons._

**JOHN SMITH  
**I think we've got her pointed in  
the right direction...

_John Smith looks at Amy nervously. The lights flicker._

**AMY  
**Her aim is true, indeed.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Okay, everyone needs to hold on.

_Amy and the others join him at the console. He pulls a lever_  
_and spins a few dials, but nothing happens. He glances at_  
_Amy. She rolls her eyes._

**AMY  
**She just needs a little love.  
Amy runs a hand across the control panel.

**AMY  
**Come on, old girl.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Uh, right... Come on, old girl.

_John Smith gently runs his fingers across the control panel._  
_He leans in and talks softly:_

**JOHN SMITH  
**Pretty please.

_The TARDIS begins to hum and shake... and they're off!_

**_FADE TO BLACK._**


	17. Nah-vuh-TEE-shuns

**Author's Note: **Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think :)

_**INT. TARDIS CONTROL ROOM - DAY**_

_The ship comes to a stop._

**BONNYANNE  
**Mighty rough ride, that was.

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Aye.

_Teachedward sways and stumbles on his peg leg before  
__righting himself. He growls. Amy shakes her head_.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Yeah, well, this ship hasn't got an  
entropy stone to suck up all the  
negative proximity energy for added  
stability so...

_John Smith shrugs. Teachedward scowls._

**AMY  
**Question... who's watching your  
prisoners in the future if both of  
you are here with us in the past?

_Teachedward glances at Bonnyanne. Good question._

**BONNYANNE  
**I memory banged the whole lot.

_Amy and John Smith look at one another quizzically._

**JOHN SMITH  
**I do hope that's a gentler  
procedure than the name implies.

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Ye wiped their memory and released  
them? Those humans were our backup  
plan, they were.

**BONNYANNE  
**They were useless, Cap'n. Not even  
worth me ammunition. The entropy  
stone showed not a flicker.

**AMY  
**I thought that thing sucked up the  
energy from negative events.

**BONNYANNE  
**Aye.

_She grins at Teachedward. He chuckles._

**TEACHEDWARD  
**The death of a being that matters  
to the universe... it's what ye'd  
call a "negative event."

_Teachedward approaches John Smith who takes Amy's hand as he  
__backs them both up toward the doo_r.

**TEACHEDWARD  
**The death of someone who, let's  
say, knows all about visitors from  
the coldest, bleakest corner of the  
universe when no earthling should.

_John Smith and Amy take a few more steps back as Bonnyanne  
__pulls her weapon again._

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Someone who has his own time ship.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Hmm... can't think of anyone who  
fits the bill, can you, Pond?

**AMY  
**Hm-mm. Nope. Not a soul.

_Teachedward and Bonnyanne get closer._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Pond?

**AMY  
**Hm?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Run!

_John Smith takes Amy's hand as they make a quick escape.  
__Bonnyanne takes a shot, but the door closes and catches the  
__green acidic goo meant for Amy and John Smith._

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Now they've trapped us in here. The  
paradox danger is too great to exit  
into our own ship. Blasted human  
and his fire-headed lass.

_Bonnyanne nods in agreement._

**BONNYANNE  
**If those other us's don't take care  
of the earth dregs, Cap'n, you can  
be assured I will.

_Teachedward snarls happily._

**_INT. NAVITITIAN SHIP - DAY_**

_**SUPER:** "Moments before..."_

_The ship is greener and glowier as it travels through space.  
__The TARDIS materializes at the back of the control room.  
__PAST BONNYANNE steers the ship as PAST TEACHEDWARD paces  
__around behind her. He pauses as if he senses something. He  
__turns around and stumbles when he sees the TARDIS._

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**Blimey! Bonnyanne, what's this?

_Past Bonnyanne turns back to see._

**PAST BONNYANNE  
**Not a clue, Cap'n. Are we being  
boarded? Should I take evasive  
measures?

_John Smith and Amy burst out of the TARDIS, but with the  
__door closed, John Smith eases into an amble. He looks around  
__like a tourist. Amy walks hesitantly behind him. Past  
__Teachedward laughs._

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**No, matey, I think we've got some  
lost lubbers. I'll see if they've  
got anything worth plundering  
before I take them out to the  
purple plank.

_John Smith looks up as if noticing Past Teachedward for the  
__first time._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Oh, hello.

**AMY  
**Hello there.

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**Aye, ahoy and welcome aboard.

_Past Teachedward draws his sword._

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**Have ye got any swag to pay the  
toll of riding on our fine vessel?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Only information, good sir.

**PAST BONNYANNE  
**What are they saying, Cap'n?

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**Nonsense so far, me dear. Except  
their tongues mimics ours.

**PAST BONNYANNE  
**Earthlings?

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**Aye... aren't ye?

_Past Teachedward looks to Amy and John Smith._

**AMY  
**Doesn't matter. If you go off  
course, you're going to crash  
without a discernible energy source  
so you want to stay en route to  
2001, got it? Good.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Oi, Pond... I was going to build up  
to that.

**AMY  
**Now isn't really the time for a  
slow burn, Doc-I mean, Johnny.

_She blushes at the slip._

**PAST BONNYANNE  
**Cap'n? What say they?

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**They say we need to carry on to  
2001-

**PAST BONNYANNE  
**Aye, aye, Cap'n. Wasn't that yer  
order?

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**And if we don't, ye'r going to  
wreck us.

**PAST BONNYANNE  
**They pull the wool over yer eyes.

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**Yet they make me wonder. Just  
before these dogs arrived, I felt  
something from Earth 1999.

**PAST BONNYANNE  
**Ought I change course after all?

**JOHN SMITH  
**You really... oughtn't.

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**I give the orders around here ye  
skinny lad. Stand over there.

Past Teachedward points off to the side of the ship. Amy and  
John Smith shuffle slowly to the position he indicates.

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**All the way. Against the wall.

_He draws his sword and moves toward them until Amy and John  
__Smith are backed up against the cabin wall._

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**Deploy the restraints.

**AMY  
**Restraints? Now hold on a minute.

_Past Bonnyanne hits a button and green, glowy chains fly out  
__of a ship wall and wrap around the waists and arms of Amy  
__and John Smith then back into the walls on the sides  
__opposite of where they started. It pulls them back against  
__the wall, but also closer together._

**PAST BONNYANNE  
**Cap'n? Still awaiting yer orders.

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**We stay on track. No need to get  
greedy... though I still feel the  
pull. It's strong. So dark.

_Past Bonnyanne casts a glance at the prisoners._

**PAST BONNYANNE  
**Cap'n, permission to speak to you  
in private?

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**Aye.

_Past Teachedward ambles up to the steering deck as he and  
__Past Bonnyanne speak in hushed tones, always glancing back  
__at their prisoners._

_Amy leans in close to John Smith. Her proximity briefly  
__disconcerts him, but he shakes it off. They speak quietly:_

**AMY  
**So these Navitians-

**JOHN SMITH  
**Navititians. Nah-vuh-TEE-shuns.

**AMY  
**Whatever, the pirates, they thrive  
off epic energy-

**JOHN SMITH  
**Epoch, Pond, how many times-

**AMY  
**Whatever! The time energy, it's  
their fuel, right?

**JOHN SMITH  
**My brain seems to think so.

**AMY  
**Bit like the Angels?

_John Smith's eyes widen._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Angels?

**AMY  
**Yes, Weeping Angels. Aren't they in  
your mental alien encyclopedia yet?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Hmm. Don't know the page, can't see  
the pictures, but the basic outline  
is there, and like the entropy  
stone, I know they're something...  
to fear.

**AMY  
**Except, in a way, these pirates are  
worse than the Angels-at least in  
their intentions-because these  
guys seek out tragedy and disaster.  
No one in their right mind would  
head toward the World Trade Center  
on September 11th-

**JOHN SMITH  
**Why? What's going to happen?

_Amy takes a deep breath. She shakes her head._

**AMY  
**A low point in the history of  
humanity. A lot of people die.

_John Smith sighs._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Perfect for the Navititians.

**AMY  
**It's not just for their ship, you  
said? It feeds them, too?

**JOHN SMITH  
**In a way. More like... it motivates  
them. They don't create the energy,  
though. They're just... scavengers.

**AMY  
**Are they? You heard what they said  
about killing people. People that  
"matter to the universe." And even  
if they did just scavenge... what  
if their presence intensifies the  
impact of negative events?

**JOHN SMITH  
**A bystander is a bully's greatest ally.

**AMY  
**Precisely.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Aren't we bystanders, though, Pond?  
I don't see us rushing off in the  
TARDIS to stop the events of that  
September day you describe.

**AMY  
**We're not allowed.

**JOHN SMITH  
**According to whom?

**AMY  
**According to you.

**JOHN SMITH  
**According to the Doctor, you mean.

_Amy shrugs._

**AMY  
**The two of you are starting to feel  
more and more like one in the same.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Don't say that...

**AMY  
**How could I not? A few hours ago  
you were normal old Johnny Smith, a  
cute and sleepy boy wandering round  
our apartment making me blush with  
your nakedness-

**JOHN SMITH  
**I wasn't naked.

_Amy smiles at his protest, but then frowns as she continues:_

**AMY  
**But now? One minute you're flailing  
about, spouting out all the vast  
knowledge you shouldn't have, but  
impossibly do. Then you're leading  
these crazy purple space pirates  
into a trap based off some insane  
plan that probably hasn't fully  
formed in your mad, scattered,  
brilliant mind. There's nothing  
more "Doctor" than that.

**JOHN SMITH  
**I don't want that to be true.

_His shoulders slump. He takes a long moment and a deep  
__breath._

**JOHN SMITH  
**If he's coming back, that means I'm  
leaving and... I don't want to go.

_He turns his head to look at Amy with a knitted brow,  
__sadness in his eyes. She tilts her head._

**AMY  
**You're here now; make the most of it.

_He looks into her eyes as a beat passes. She smiles as he  
__takes a deep breath._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Okay, Pond... you asked for it.

_He leans in, his lips a few inches from hers. She blinks,  
__but doesn't pull back. Just before their lips touch:_

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**Oi. Oi!

_Amy and John Smith pull apart as Past Teachedward rushes to them,  
__his sword drawn._

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**This ship's no place for the likes  
of that.

**PAST BONNYANNE  
**Aye...

_Amy and John face forward._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Could you kindly release us?

_Past Teachedward's lip curls._

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**And why should I?

**AMY  
**Because we came here to help you  
and this is no way to repay us.

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**Aye, we'll repay you. We've just  
not yet decided yer fate.

**AMY  
**So you might let us go?

_Past Teachedward and Past Bonnyanne laugh._

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**We've just not decided on the  
method of yer murder. We want to  
maximize the epoch energy.

_Amy's jaw drops. John Smith stares at Past Teachedward._

**PAST BONNYANNE  
**Cap'n?

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**Must ye interupt?

**PAST BONNYANNE  
**The entropy stone, Cap'n. 1-9-9-9.  
It speaks to me mind's eye.

_Past Teachedward snorts at Amy and John Smith and heads over to  
__Past Bonnyanne to examine the stone. The pirates are momentarily  
__engrossed in their observation of the stone._

**AMY  
**We can't get into this cycle with them-

**JOHN SMITH  
**Amy?

**AMY  
**We can't let them go to 1999.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Amy.

**AMY  
**If we run into our former selves...  
it's just too dangerous-

**JOHN SMITH  
**Amelia?

**AMY  
**Especially with you like this-

**JOHN SMITH  
**Amelia Pond!

_She looks over at him, but he isn't there. She looks down  
__and realizes the restraints are gone. She looks up to find  
__him in front of her. He proudly holds up the sonic screw  
__driver. She grins._

**AMY  
**Brilliant, you are.

_She grabs him and plants a kiss on his cheek. He grins  
__sheepishly, but then aims the sonic at the wall and jumps  
__over in time to get caught up in the restraints once more._

**AMY  
**What are you doing?

_Past Teachedward and Past Bonnyanne glance back in their direction,  
__satisfied at their restrained state._

**JOHN SMITH  
**What were you getting at before?  
That the pirates are more evil than  
I'm giving them credit for?

**AMY  
**It's just... they allow these  
events, and okay, so would we-but  
they also support them and profit  
from them. They sometimes even  
cause them. Then they use their  
creepy green rock to suck up misery  
like chocolate milk. You said it-

**JOHN SMITH  
**Actually, I said it's nothing like  
that.

**AMY  
**And it's wrong. It's so wrong.

**JOHN SMITH  
**I don't disagree.

**AMY  
**Some things we can't change, but  
this moment? It's in flux. It's all  
ours to make right.

_John Smith considers this. After a moment, he smiles._

**AMY  
**What?

**JOHN SMITH  
**I think the Doctor just pushed out  
a plan.

**AMY  
**Brilliant.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Oh, it really is!

**_FADE TO BLACK._**


	18. Hit Me

**Author's Note: **Thank you all for the lovely reviews and kind messages. They definitely encourage me to continue writing. This chapter is short, but I wanted to put something out to assure you that I am still working on it. John Smith's "plan" should be coming together shortly and then, you know, the good stuff :)

_**INT. GREEN GLOWY SHIP - DAY**_

_Past Teachedward and Past Bonnyanne stand huddled over the_  
_entropy stone at the front of the ship. Where Amy and the_  
_Doctor were once restrained, the green, glowy chains lay_  
_unoccupied, but still unnoticed by the pirates._

_The TARDIS remains at the back of the ship. Swinging around,_  
_Amy and John Smith are revealed. They crouch down as John_  
_Smith peeks to watch the bad guys. They whisper:_

**AMY  
**What are they doing?

**JOHN SMITH  
**They're consulting with their  
glowy, green stone, of course.

**AMY  
**Okay, so hit me-

_John Smith smacks her shoulder._

**AMY  
**Ow! Why'd you do that?

**JOHN SMITH  
**You said "hit me."

**AMY  
**With the plan. Hit me... with the  
plan. The brilliant one. Explain.

_He gives her a slick grin._

**JOHN SMITH  
**It'll be easier... to show you.

_He nods for her to follow as he sneaks around the TARDIS._  
_She rolls her eyes, but follows. __When they get out in the  
open, John Smith stops and clears __his throat._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Oi, Navititians!

_Past Teachedward and Past Bonnyanne look over in surprise._  
_They move toward John Smith and Amy_.

**AMY  
**This? This was you brilliant plan.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Uh huh. Now, duck!

_Amy drops to the ground along with John Smith. Past_  
_Bonnyanne takes a shot that flies over their heads and hit_  
_the TARDIS. It reflects back toward Past Teachedward and_  
_catches him in his peg leg. He cries out in surprise as he_  
_topples over the floor._

**JOHN SMITH  
**You never told me it did that.

_Amy's jaw hangs open as she looks from the TARDIS to the_  
_Navititians where Bonnyanne tends to her grumbling Captain._

**_INT. TARDIS CONTROL ROOM - DAY_**

_Teachedward and Bonnyanne stand at the door and listen_.

**TEACHEDWARD  
**We're hornswaggled fools! If they  
kill us, we're dead.

**BONNYANNE  
**Aye, Cap'n. Ye state the plain  
truth, but-

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Not us, wench. Us.

_He gestures at the door. Bonnyanne gets it, but before she_  
_can speak John Smith and Amy Pond burst through the door,  
sending Teachedward and Bonnyanne reeling backward._

_John Smith and Amy immediately find themselves with a sword_  
_and gun in their faces._

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Any last words, earth dogs?

_John Smith smiles._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Yeah. "Run."

_Teachedward grunts in confusion, but then steps back in_  
_surprise when the TARDIS door opens again and Past_  
_Teachedward and Past Bonnyanne enter. Past Teachedward uses_  
_his sword as a cane to make up for his hobbled peg leg._

**BONNYANNE  
**Begad!

**PAST** **TEACHEDWARD  
**This ship...

**PAST** **BONNYANNE  
**She's bigger on the inside!

**JOHN SMITH  
**That's exactly what they said.

_John Smith points to Teachedward and Bonnyanne._

**PAST** **BONNYANNE  
**Cap'n, it's us!

**PAST** **TEACHEDWARD  
**Aye...

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Get out. Get out now!

_Teachedward swings his sword toward the door._

**PAST** **TEACHEDWARD  
**I give the orders around here. Ye  
can take leave of this vessel.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Can I make introductions before you  
lot start hitting us in stereo with  
the mad space pirate talk?

**AMY  
**Introductions. Brilliant idea. Old  
Navitians, meet new Navitians-

**EVERYONE BUT** **AMY  
**Navi-TEE-tians.

_Amy rolls her eyes. Teachedward moves in on his past self._

**TEACHEDWARD  
**How we stand eye-to-eye without  
consequence, me mind cannot grasp,  
but before it's too late, I beg ye,  
take leave; get out of our sight.

**BONNYANNE  
**Unless ye stubborn folk want to be  
consumed by the paradox.

**AMY  
**That outcome sounds good to me.

**PAST** **TEACHEDWARD  
**The short of is that we've got  
business with these earth dogs so  
it's ye who must go.

**TEACHEDWARD  
**We have our own business with these  
fools. Leave them to us. Get out.

**JOHN SMITH  
**I was thinking we could all go.

_John Smith grabs Amy's hand and slips out the door._  
_Teachedward and Bonnyanne run past their old selves. Past  
Bonnyanne and Past Teachedward look at one another._

**PAST** **BONNYANNE  
**Cap'n, how is this possible? Our  
near future visits us, and still we  
live. The paradox should've ripped  
us into star dust by now.

**PAST** **TEACHEDWARD  
**Aye, but we've jumped through time  
for as long as we've lived. I'd  
venture she respects us.

**PAST** **BONNYANNE  
**Still, she can't hold off her  
judgment forever. We must act.

**PAST** **TEACHEDWARD  
**Nothing is for certain, but me  
thinks we control our own fate,  
matey. If it's that future we want  
not then it seems all we need do is  
destroy it.

_Past Bonnyanne smirks._

**PAST** **BONNYANNE  
**Aye, aye, Cap'n. Aye, aye.

**FADE TO BLACK.**


	19. Infinite Time Loop

**Author's Note:** Here's the big action sequence. It's not my forte, but it had to come eventually. Let me know what you thought... and what you think will happen next. Thanks for reading and for encouraging more chapters.

**_INT. GREEN GLOWY SHIP -_ DAY**

_Bonnyanne and Teachedward chase Amy and John Smith around  
__the bridge of the ship. Amy pulls John Smith behind the  
__entropy stone just out of reach of Teachedward's sword as he  
__takes a swing._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Thanks-

_When Teachedward's sword makes contact with the stone, green_  
_sparks shower down and the ship rocks. An extra strong final_  
_tilt knocks everyone off their feet._

_John Smith falls atop Amy, bringing them nose to nose._

**AMY  
**You're welcome.

_They are broken out of the moment as Past Bonnyanne and Past_  
_Teachedward come barreling out of the TARDIS. Past Bonnyanne  
takes a shot at her future self._

**BONNYANNE  
**What do ye think yer doin'?

**PAST ****BONNYANNE  
**Changin' our plans.

_John Smith and Amy slowly get up and move along the wall._

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Ye danglers. Ye can't change yer  
fate any more than ye can change  
solar wind or the pattern of the  
stars. It's already written.

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**Ye say that only because it's ye  
that's our fate. The truth is it's  
the past that can't be moved.

**BONNYANNE  
**We'll see.

_A swashbuckling fight breaks out, but the pirates only have_  
_eyes on each other and don't notice when Amy and John Smith_  
_sneak off toward the TARDIS._

_Bonnyanne takes another shot at Past Teachedward, this time_  
_hitting his "good" leg. He screams out and falls to the_  
_ground. Past Bonnyanne runs to him, keeping her gun aimed on_  
_her future self. She helps him up and he leans against her_  
_as purple blood oozes from his non-peg leg. She props him_  
_against the control panel before going after Bonnyanne._

_Teachedward approaches his former, hobbled self who leans_  
_against the control panel to keep himself up. Their swords_  
_cross, defend and attack with skill on both sides._

_The Bonnyannes fire on one another, but both duck out of the_  
_way of each plasma shot just in time._

**_INT. TARDIS CONTROL ROOM - DAY_**

_John Smith and Amy stand at the console. They urge the_  
_TARDIS to takeoff, but there is no response._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Is it broken?

_The ship lights flash._

**AMY  
**She.

**JOHN SMITH  
**She what?

**AMY  
**Is she broken?

**JOHN SMITH  
**That's what I'm asking you.

_Amy rolls her eyes._

**AMY  
**Nah. This old girl's been through  
much worse. She can fly.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Then why are we still here?

**AMY  
**Maybe she's telling us that we  
aren't supposed to leave just yet.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Fantastic...

**_INT. GREEN GLOWY SHIP - DAY_**

_The Bonnyannes send shots at one another from a distance._  
_They look so much alike, it's impossible to tell which is_  
_which. They both successfully dodge plasma shots fired by_  
_the other until suddenly they simultaneously land hits to_  
_each other's non-gun-holding arm._

_They stop and stare for a moment then resume the fight until_  
_Past Trachedward cries out from a blow Teachedward's given_  
_him. Purple blood pours from his gut._

_John Smith and Amy cautiously exit the TARDIS. They watch._

_One of the injured Bonnyannes, presumably the past version,_  
_turns her weapon and takes two shots at Teachedward. His_  
_knees buckle as the purple drains from each leg. He screams_  
_out in pain as the Past Teachedward holds up his sword to_  
_swing, but before he can fire a shot, Bonnyanne shoots his_  
_sword hand. He groans and picks it up with his other hand._

**PAST ****BONNYANNE  
**That ought to even up the fight.

_Bonnyanne fires at Past Bonnyanne, hitting her squarely in_  
_the stomach. Purple blood splatters, but she stays on her_  
_feet and returns fire, hitting her future self in the chest._

_Amy cringes as she and John Smith stick close to the TARDIS._

**AMY  
**Should we stop them?

**JOHN SMITH  
**What would the Doctor do?

**AMY  
**The Doctor typically has a distaste  
for violence. He seems to find  
other ways to settle things.

**JOHN SMITH  
**But why can't we just let them  
destroy one another? Only the bad  
guys get harmed.

**AMY  
**Maybe self-annihilation is too kind  
a consequence for the lifetimes of  
pain they've consumed to fuel their  
high space adventures.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Should I give them a lecture on the  
ills of epoch energy?

**AMY  
**Can you find another way to make  
the point?

_John Smith considers. A thought occurs to him. He runs off_  
_into the middle of battle. Amy groans, but follows. They_  
_catch the attention of all four pirates as they reach the_  
_entropy stone. John Smith pulls out the sonic screwdriver_  
_and takes aim at the stone._

**PAST TEACHEDWARD  
**Stop that stupid earth dog.

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Aye, kill him.

_Next to him, Amy folds her arms._

**AMY  
**At least they finally agree on  
something.

**TEACHEDWARD  
**Then we kill the threat from the  
past and take their ship as our  
own. We'll rewrite their mistakes.

**PAST ****BONNYANNE  
**It's ye who made the mistakes. It's  
we who will fix them!

**BONNYANNE  
**We stand in the way of yer victory,  
but ye won't stop ours.

_The pairs square off with the entropy stone and John Smith_  
_and Amy between them. John Smith eases Amy between himself_  
_and the entropy stone._

**AMY  
**What are you doing?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Trying to protect you.

_Amy steps around him and trades spots._

**AMY  
**I'm supposed to be protecting you,  
idiot. You're much more important.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Not to me.

_John Smith tries to swap her again, but they both freeze_  
_when they realize the pirates are closer than before. They_  
_still have each other in their sights._

**AMY  
**I really think we all just need to  
step back and ask ourselves if time  
suicide is really the answer

**JOHN SMITH  
**She's right, you know? You kill one  
another, you kill yourselves.

**PAST ****BONNYANNE  
**Or we change our fate.

**JOHN SMITH  
**That's contrary to the definition  
of the word. Fate is unavoidable.

_Amy glances at John Smith. He meets her eye._

**AMY  
**And you certainly can't change your  
past. No one can.

**JOHN SMITH  
**No. You just have to...

**AMY  
**Move forward.

**JOHN SMITH  
**And let what happens... happen.

**AMY  
**And accept it.

**JOHN SMITH  
**And... accept it.

_He sighs._

**JOHN SMITH  
**You have to accept...

**AMY  
**Duck.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Right. You have to accept duck.  
Wait, you have to what?

_John Smith tilts his head._

**AMY  
**Duck!

_Amy grabs his arm and pulls him down onto the floor as the_  
_space pirates fire and swing on one another. All four  
weapons hit only the entropy stone._

_It shatters and lights up the entire room with green sparks_  
_and smoke. The four space pirates are obliterated in the  
green, glowy shrapnel. They disintegrate into smoke._

_Then it all reverses. The entropy stone comes back together_  
_and the pirates reform._

_Then it all happens again. And reverses. And happens again._  
_And reveres. And happens again. And reverses._

_Amy and John Smith crawl along the floor to the TARDIS. They_  
_stand when they reach the TARDIS and watch the scene._

**AMY  
**What hapened? What's... happening?

**JOHN SMITH  
**In their fervor to kill each other,  
they destroyed the entropy stone.

**AMY  
**You can destroy an entropy stone?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Apparently not.

_They watch the constant replay a moment more._

**AMY  
**So... they're trapped.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Stuck in an infinite time loop.

**AMY  
**Are we stuck, too?

_He glances over at her then sighs._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Wouldn't be so bad, would it?

**AMY  
**I'll take that as a "no."

**JOHN SMITH  
**Indeed, we do seem to be  
progressing forward.

_She meets his eye._

**AMY  
**And was this part of your plan? Or  
was it the Doctor's plan?

**JOHN SMITH  
**Mostly his, but I adlibbed that  
brilliant bit at the end.

**AMY  
**Oh, you mean that bit where you  
stood us in the middle of four  
armed and incensed purple pirates?  
Or that bit where you wouldn't shut  
up and almost got shot?

**JOHN SMITH  
**I was thinking more of the bit  
where I tricked them into  
destroying the entropy stone. I  
simply thought they would destroy  
each other the old-fashioned,  
arrgh, pirate way. I take it this  
is more in the style of the Doctor?

**AMY  
**It certainly conveys the point that  
the entropy stone is evil.

**JOHN SMITH  
**Or was it the users?

_A beat as they watch the repeated scene and consider._

**AMY  
**The ship and that stone... they'll  
just keep feeding off the epic  
energy this moment has created?

**JOHN SMITH  
**It's epoch en-

_She gives a sly smile._

**JOHN SMITH  
**You're saying it wrong with the  
expressed purpose of driving me  
mad, aren't you?

**AMY  
**You're already mad.

_He rolls his eyes._

**JOHN SMITH  
**To answer your question, I don't  
know, of course, but I presume this  
is now their eternal existence.

**AMY  
**Do you suppose they're in pain?

_They watch the scene move forward then reverse._

**JOHN SMITH  
**If they are, do you suppose they  
deserve it? For all the pain  
they've purposefully observed, do  
they deserve this fate?

**AMY  
**No. But it's the fate they chose.

_John Smith nods and watches sadly._

**JOHN SMITH  
**Did we just save the world?

**AMY  
**I don't know. I suppose.

**JOHN SMITH  
**I don't feel like we just saved the  
world. Do you?

**AMY  
**Nope.

_They watch the scene for a moment more._

**AMY  
**I think it's time for us-

**JOHN SMITH  
**To go. I know...

_John Smith sighs then follows Amy into the TARDIS._

**_FADE TO BLACK._**


	20. After Taste

**Author's Note: **Happy St. Patrick's Day. And THANK YOU for all your kind reviews and follows. I hope this chapter makes you happy :)

_**INT. 98TH FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY**_

_The TARDIS sits in the corner of the conference room. John_  
_Smith and Amy enter the room together._

**AMY**  
Maybe we didn't save the world, but  
I think we at least saved the day.  
It seems everyone got out safely.

_She thumbs over her shoulder to indicate they have inspected_  
_the building._

**JOHN SMITH**  
In a way, I envy them.

**AMY**  
Why? We're safe, too.

**JOHN SMITH**  
The Navititians.

**AMY**  
You think their own suffering  
actually fulfills them somehow?

**JOHN SMITH**  
Maybe. And they get to stay in that  
moment for all of time. I wouldn't  
mind being in limbo for... forever.

_Amy smiles sadly._

**AMY**  
I'm sorry.

**JOHN SMITH**  
Me, too.

_He nods and takes her hand_.

**JOHN SMITH**  
One last time?

_Amy nods._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Come along, Pond.

_**INT. AMY'S BEDROOM ROOM - DAY**_

_The TARDIS appears in the room and Amy and John Smith walk_  
_out just as Hannah walks in carrying Isabel._

**HANNAH**  
There you are. What were you two  
doing in here?

_She glances suspiciously at the TARDIS as John Smith pulls_  
_the door closed._

**AMY**  
We were just...

**JOHN SMITH**  
We were...

_They look at one another searching for an excuse._

**HANNAH**  
Okay, pause, none of my business.  
Hannah gives Amy an obvious wink.

**HANNAH**  
Guess what? Dave just called. And  
he's okay! Everyone is!

_Amy and John Smith feign surprise._

**JOHN SMITH**  
That's brilliant!

_They briefly embrace Hannah and Isabel who coos happily._

**HANNAH**  
Although, I think he must have  
gotten a pretty good bump to the  
head or whatever because he was all  
talking about purple people-eaters.

**JOHN SMITH**  
Pirates.

**HANNAH**  
What?

**AMY**  
Nothing. I guess he isn't the only  
one who got a good whack today.

_Amy lightly smacks John Smith across the chest._  
_Hannah raises her eyebrows and chuckles._

**HANNAH**  
Anyway, he has to get checked out  
by paramedics, but he should be  
home in a few hours. Isabel and I  
are going to meet him. We'll have  
to reschedule her portraits.

**AMY**  
We can't!

_Hannah looks confused._

**AMY**  
We're leaving. Uh, we're moving.  
You know, back to England.

**HANNAH**  
What? No way. That sucks!

**JOHN SMITH**  
But you said you still have a few  
hours, right? Stay. We'll do the  
portraits right now. We have a few  
hours to spare, don't we, Amy?

_Amy narrows her eyes at him, but then nods._

**AMY**  
Of course.

**HANNAH**  
Yeah, okay. Cool. Cool.

**JOHN SMITH**  
Oh, yes, very cool.

_**INT. LIVING ROOM - BIG APPLE APARTMENT - DAY**_

_Amy takes the portraits for which she and John Smith_  
_previously dressed the studio. Isabel looks adorable, but_  
_bored._

_John Smith runs off into his room. He exits dragging a cart_  
_that holds a record player and two tall speakers. Amy gives_  
_him a look, but he cranks up Nirvana's About a Girl._

_Hannah nods her head to the song. Isabel grins and coos._  
_John Smith gives Amy his "I told you so" face. Amy rolls her_  
_eyes, but gets several shots of the Princess._

_A montage plays out as the group rocks out and has fun. Amy_  
_takes candid shot of the baby and her mom, of John Smith and_  
_Princess Nevermind, of just John Smith as he puts on The  
__Doctor's bow tie._

_Hannah commandeers the camera and takes several shots of Amy_  
_and John Smith as they pose with the record player and_  
_speaker, getting closer with each shot until Amy finally_  
_pulls him over by the bowtie and gives him a kiss on the_  
_cheek for the camera. He looks at her, clearly wanting more._

_The montage ends as the group stands at the door giving hugs_  
_and saying goodbye. Isabel's stroller is parked in the hall._

**HANNAH**  
Have fun back in jolly old England,  
you two.

**AMY**  
We will.

**JOHN SMITH**  
Give Dave our best... even though  
we've never met the chap...

**AMY**  
And, hey...

**HANNAH**  
Hmm?

**AMY**  
Nothing. Nevermind. Just love and  
appreciate every single moment with  
the ones you love.

_Hannah tilts her head, but then smiles._

**HANNAH**  
Yeah... you, too.

_Hannah gives John Smith one last glance. He gives her a_  
_smile then waves to Isabel who grins at him.  
_  
**HANNAH**_  
_And thank you both. For today.  
Not just the pictures.

John Smith and Amy glance at one another. They nod  
to Hannah who puts

_Isabel into her stroller and pushes  
her off down the hall._

**_INT. LIVING ROOM - BIG APPLE APARTMENT - DAY_**

_Amy and John Smith face each other in the living room. They_  
_are oddly silent. John Smith puts his hands in his back_  
_pockets and sighs. Amy steps up to him and adjusts his tie._  
_  
He reaches up and takes her hands from the bow tie to hold_  
_them against his chest._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Amy, I love you.

_Amy raises her eyebrows in surprise. She swallows._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Sorry. I'm... sorry. I shouldn't  
have said that. It was-

**AMY**  
No, it's...

_John Smith releases her hands._

**JOHN SMITH**  
It was just him... The Doctor...  
his madness... pushing through once  
more. I can't control it.

_Amy chuckles._

**AMY**  
Nice try, but The Doctor doesn't-

**JOHN SMITH**  
Love you? Yes, he does.

**AMY**  
Perhaps as a friend.

**JOHN SMITH**  
No-

**AMY**  
Or a sister.

**JOHN SMITH**  
That's not what I'm getting-

**AMY**  
But definitely not in some  
romantic, kissy-face way so-

**JOHN SMITH**  
But, Amy-

**AMY**  
Drop it.

_John Smith pushes his lips together. He looks at her for a_  
_long beat. He sighs._

**JOHN SMITH**  
I want to say I'm going to miss  
you, but I don't suppose I will.

_Amy cocks her head to the side._

**AMY**  
Thanks a lot.

**JOHN SMITH**  
Somebody who doesn't exist can't  
very well miss another somebody.

**AMY**  
In that case, I'll miss you enough  
for the both of us.

_John Smith smiles._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Don't miss me... but don't forget  
me either, Amelia Pond. Please  
don't ever forget me... even if I'm  
not... a, um, real boy.

_The forced twinkle in his eyes only causes Amy to roll he eyes._

**AMY**  
Please, you're not Pinocchio.  
You're a person... a very real  
person... and a very real boy.  
You're just... temporary.

_He puts his hands on her shoulders and puts his face close_  
_to hers._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Listen very carefully, Amy.  
This-what I feel for you-it's  
anything but temporary. And it's so  
very real. Much more real than I.

_He puts his hands on her neck, running his fingers across_  
_the locket._

**AMY**  
But when you're gone, that feeling  
goes with you.

_He shakes his head._

**JOHN SMITH**  
It doesn't have to.

**AMY**  
I think it does.

**JOHN SMITH**  
Then I guess we better enjoy it.

_Amy arcs an eyebrow just as John Smith moves in to kiss her._  
_It takes her by surprise, but she wraps an arm around his_  
_neck and keeps him close for a long moment._

_When she eases up, John Smith pulls back from the kiss. Out_  
_of breath, Amy sighs and smiles._

**AMY**  
You shouldn't have done that.

**JOHN SMITH**  
I apologize. For this, too.

_He moves to kiss her again. She hesitates for a moment, but_  
_then returns his kiss once more. They part... barely_.

**JOHN SMITH**  
I must admit, I'm starting to feel  
a bit more like a real boy.

_Amy glances down toward the bow tie._

**JOHN SMITH**  
Still doesn't make me the right  
boy, though, does it?

_Amy shrugs and looks back up, guiltily._

**AMY**  
You're not all wrong.  
John Smith chuckles lightly.

**JOHN SMITH**  
Just pretend, Amy. I will, too.

_He leans in again to kiss her. She closes her eyes and lets_  
_it happen one more time. John Smith moves his fingers along_  
_the chain around Amy's neck, stopping at the locket._

_Amy doesn't notice when he opens it, but a golden light_  
_moves from the locket to John Smith. It hits him as he_  
_continues to kiss Amy._

_After a moment, the light subsides, but the kiss goes on._  
_The pair finally part. Amy snuggles against his neck. He_  
_wraps his arms around her, a tender smile touching his lips._

**AMY**  
I wonder if he can kiss like that.

_He laughs softly and talks into her hair._

**THE DOCTOR**  
Oh, he can. He definitely can.

_Amy pulls back and looks him in the eye. He smiles_  
_mischievously. Amy's eyes widen. She tilts her head._

**AMY**  
Doctor?

He nods.

**AMY**  
Is it really you?

**THE DOCTOR**  
Yes, it's really boring old me.  
Sorry loverboy had to go, but-

**AMY**  
Doctor!

_Amy flings her arms around him and pulls him into a giant_  
_hug. He flails in her grip, but eventually returns the hug._

**THE DOCTOR**  
Good to see you, too, Pond.

**AMY**  
Don't ever leave me like that  
again! I missed you so much!

**THE DOCTOR**  
Couldn't tell by that kiss.

**AMY**  
For the record, he kissed me. Or  
was it-When exactly did you turn  
back into... you? Hmm?

**THE DOCTOR**  
Just, you know, at the end there.

**AMY**  
The end.

**THE DOCTOR**  
The very, very end.

_Amy narrows her eyes._

**THE DOCTOR**  
There was practically no human/Time  
Lord salivatory exchange.

_Amy's jaw drops slightly. She smiles through her_  
_embarrassment._

**THE DOCTOR**  
I must say it's much nicer when it  
doesn't come in the form of a kiss  
attack. Do you remember that? When you-

**AMY**  
Can we just drop this whole kissy  
conversation? Please?

_The doctor considers it._

**THE DOCTOR**  
Fine, let's talk clothes.

_He indicates his outfit. She shrugs._

**AMY**  
I tried.

_She indicates the bow tie._

**THE DOCTOR**  
And, oh... oh no...

_The Doctor smacks his lips and runs his tongue against the_  
_roof of his mouth. He gags._

**THE DOCTOR**  
Pond, tell me you didn't...

_Amy raises her eyebrows nervously._

**THE DOCTOR**  
This is the worst thing you've ever  
done to me. The absolute worst.

**AMY**  
I'm sorry. Well, no, I'm not  
actually. But, wait, you didn't  
seem to mind a moment ago-

**THE DOCTOR**  
Apples?!

_Amy groans. Apples._

**AMY**  
An apple. A bite of an apple,  
really. Barely a bite.

_The Doctor sticks his tongue out in disgust._

**THE DOCTOR**  
The after taste. Ick...

**AMY**  
After taste?! It was months ago!

**THE DOCTOR**  
Exactly.

_He wipes his tongue with his hand. He shakes his whole body,_  
_scrunching up his face._

**THE DOCTOR**  
Uggggch.

_The Doctor turns toward Amy's bedroom. He walks a few steps_  
_then turns back to her._

**THE DOCTOR**  
Well, then? To the TARDIS?  
Come along, Pond.

_He walks off. Amy blinks a few times._

**AMY**  
_(to herself)_  
Welcome back.

_She hurries to follow him._

**_FADE TO BLACK._**


	21. Po-tay-to, po-tah-to

**Author's Note: **It seems that many people seemed to think the previous chapter was the end. Well, in a way, I suppose that is true. That is basically how I imagine the show would really leave things. If you're good with that... you probably shouldn't read this or any upcoming chapters. To everyone else, though-to the people who started reading this because it was labelled an "11 and Amy" fic... well, your story starts here :)

INT. TARDIS CONTROL ROOM - DAY

_The Doctor walks in and immediately begins disrobing._

**THE DOCTOR  
**I hope this git was as fond of  
pants as he was apples.

_The Doctor kicks off his jeans to reveal boxer shorts. Amy_  
_hurries in after him, dragging her suitcase behind her. She_  
_stutters to a stop when she sees his state of undress._

**AMY  
**Um, Doctor?

_The Doctor wrestles the Nirvana shirt over his head._

**AMY  
**Excuse me? Doctor?

_He pauses with his arms above his head, the shirt still_  
_covering his hair. He looks at her impatiently._

**AMY  
**Are you hot again?

_She abandons her suitcase and hurries over to him._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Didn't know I ever wasn't.

_He gets the shirt off and tosses it on the floor then exits_  
_the control room. Amy stands, mouth agape. After a moment,_  
_The Doctor re-enters, fully dressed as himself: bow tie,_  
_braces, tweed jacket and all._

**AMY  
**That was... fast.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Yes. Fast. Unlike the past three  
months which were slow... so...  
painfully... glacially... slow.

_The Doctor pushes his hair back out of his face. A beat._

**AMY  
**What exactly... I mean... what was  
it like for you? Aside from slow.

**THE DOCTOR  
**I believe what you mean to ask  
is... do I remember it all?

_Amy hesitates to ask, but when The Doctor doesn't speak, she_  
_huffs and crosses her arms._

**AMY  
**Well, do you?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Do I what?

**AMY  
**Remember the past three months!

_The Doctor considers._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Yes. I remember them perfectly.

_Amy nods, surprised._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Mostly I remember sitting around  
awaiting my release. Must be how a  
genie feels cooped up in a lamp.

_The Doctor walks over to Amy's suitcase and looks at it._

**AMY  
**Hold on. What you remember is...  
being in the locket? You don't  
remember... I mean... you don't  
know anything that happened outside  
the locket? With... me?

_The Doctor picks up Amy's suitcase._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Ehhhhhh... I didn't say that.

_He tosses her suitcase out of the control room and down a_  
_hallway where it clunks onto the metal ground._

**AMY  
**Why'd you do that?

**THE DOCTOR  
**All bags must be stowed during  
takeoff.

**AMY  
**Doctor, have you gone mad...der?

_He thinks about it._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Don't think so. You're probably  
just used to the boring human who  
looked like me... and ate apples.

_The Doctor smacks his lips in disgust. Amy smiles at him_  
_fondly. He tilts his head._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Oh, what?

**AMY  
**The boring human who looked like  
you and had one bite of an apple  
three months ago... he was nice. A  
nice and nearly perfect boy.

_The Doctor rolls his eyes and starts to turn away._

**AMY  
**But.

_The Doctor turns back._

**THE DOCTOR  
**But?

**AMY  
**But I missed you. And I'm glad  
you're back. So if you would kindly  
tell me what you recall about the  
past three months so that I may  
fill in the gaps for you...

_He narrows his eyes then shrugs._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Have you ever tried to tune in to a  
radio network whose broadcast tower  
was just a bit too far away?

**AMY  
**Yes. I suppose. But let me guess,  
this is nothing like that?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Well, of course this is like that.  
Why else would I bring it up?

_Amy groans and take a seat on the stairs leading to the_  
_control panel._

**THE DOCTOR  
**What?

**AMY  
**Nothing. Carry on. This is like an  
unreliable radio network because...

**THE DOCTOR  
**Like an unreliable radio network,  
sometimes all I heard was static.  
Other times, the sound came in and  
out with complete lack of  
predictability. Those moments when  
you opened the locket, though, in  
those moments, the music was  
crystal clear... and the beat of  
imminent danger pulsated through my  
very loosely collected conscious.

**AMY  
**You could sense the pirates.

_The Doctor slides down next to her._

**THE DOCTOR  
**I could sense their  
disruption-their absorption,  
really-of time.

_The Doctor smiles at her thoughtfully._

**THE DOCTOR  
**By the way Pond, I was very much  
tuned in during those last bits-

**AMY  
**Doctor!

**THE DOCTOR  
**I'm referring to the pirates, Pond.  
I must say the pair of you handled  
the situation brilliantly. Couldn't  
have done it better myself.

_Amy runs a hand through her hair, looking off._

**AMY  
**I'm sure that's not true.

_Amy glances toward the TARDIS door._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Would you like to go back into the  
flat one last time?

_Amy shrugs._

**AMY  
**What for?

**THE DOCTOR  
**To... say goodbye.

**AMY  
**I already did.

_The Doctor looks at her guiltily as she reaches down and_  
_touches the locket still around her neck._

**AMY  
**Do you want this back?

_The Doctor shakes his head._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Keep it.

**AMY  
**He's not locked away somewhere is  
he? In here? Someplace else?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Just in here.

_The Doctor puts a hand over his left heart._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Or in here.

_He puts his other hand over his right heart. Amy smiles. The_  
_doctor puts his hands up and shrugs_.

**THE DOCTOR  
**No matter. It's figurative anyway.

_Amy tilts her head. She scoots a little closer and puts a_  
_hand on his chest, against his human-side heart. The Doctor_  
_squirms a second under her touch, but settles._

**AMY  
**I don't understand where he came  
from exactly. You say he's in you  
now, but he didn't come from in  
you. He couldn't have.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Why not? Because you fancied him?

_Amy rolls her eyes and drops her hand._

**AMY  
**I didn't fancy him. He fancied me.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Po-tay-to, po-tah-to.

**AMY  
**Just explain.

**THE DOCTOR  
**I can't. I left it to the TARDIS.  
Frankly, I'm as surprised as you  
are that John Smith turned out as  
he did. The TARDIS seemed to have  
taken into account your preferences  
as well as my own...

**AMY  
**Your own what?

**THE DOCTOR  
**You know... my own things that  
maybe I would want to be... if I  
were to be a human.

_Amy laughs._

**THE DOCTOR  
**What?

**AMY  
**Well, I don't like Nirvana so...

_The Doctor chuckles._

**THE DOCTOR  
**I guess she filled in some of the  
blanks all on her own.

**AMY  
**If you say so.

_A beat as Amy and The Doctor sit on a step together._

**AMY  
**It was an interesting three months.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Thank you for sticking by me, Pond.

**AMY  
**It was nothing... not if it meant  
keeping you alive and making you  
well again.

_Amy bites her lip and looks away._

**AMY  
**I might be willing to wait a  
lifetime for that.

_He looks at her for a long beat, touched. When she looks up_  
_at him he hops up._

**THE DOCTOR  
**It's time to takeoff, Pond. Any  
requests? Ancient Rome? Mars 3013?

**AMY  
**Actually, how about New York?

_He looks at her curiously, but smiles accomodatingly and_  
_moves up to the control panel. He gives her a grin._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Geronimo.

_She smiles and holds on tight._

**_Fade to black._**


	22. Apple Pie

**Author's Note:**If you've stuck with the story here as we get into the fluffy, fannish bits... I thank you! Let me know how you're feeling about things now that The Doctor has returned :)

_**EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREET - DAY**_**  
**

_The Doctor leans cooly against a light pole as Amy puts a_  
_letter into the mail. She stares at the mailbox._

**THE DOCTOR**  
New York. August. 2001.

_He glances around the bustling street._

**THE DOCTOR**  
Explain.

**AMY**  
Promise not to be cross with me?

**THE DOCTOR**  
No. Well, actually, sure, why not?  
I suppose that's a promise I can  
keep for the woman who kept both my  
body and my spirit alive for the  
three slowest earth months of my  
entire existence. And, may I just  
say, it feels fantastic to have the  
two reunited again.

_He stretches then hops over to Amy. He arcs an eyebrow; she_  
_hesitates. He smiles and leans in._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Out with it. I shall not be cross.

**AMY  
**Right... So... a few weeks ago,  
well, a few years ago now... back  
in 1999... I emptied the accounts  
from the photography business in  
order to purchase three vacation  
vouchers for a two-week holiday in  
Hawaii: plane tickets, hotel,  
meals, the works. That's what was  
in the envelope.

_She nods toward the mailbox._

**THE DOCTOR  
**You're aware we could simply travel  
to Hawaii in the TARDIS?

_Amy puts a hand on her hip._

**AMY  
**I feel confident traveling to  
Hawaii in the TARDIS would probably  
land us in a volcano.

_The Doctor starts to speak, but then gives in to her point_  
_with a silent shrug. He glances at the mailbox._

**THE DOCTOR  
**If we're flying to Hawaii, why did  
you just drop our vouchers into the  
post? And why did you purchase  
three vouchers in the first place?

**AMY  
**The tickets aren't for you and me.

_The Doctor frowns. He steps up to Amy and puts his hands on_  
_her shoulders._

**THE DOCTOR  
**I know you cared for him, Pond-

**AMY  
**What? Cared for who?

**THE DOCTOR  
**The good-looking bloke with the  
poor taste in food and fashion.

**AMY  
**You're referring to Johnny?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Johnny? He preferred to be called  
Johnny? What a wan-

**AMY  
**Oi. Get to the point.

_The Doctor composes himself._

**THE DOCTOR  
**He's not coming back.

_Amy shrugs off The Doctor's hands._

**AMY  
**I know. You've made that clear and  
I'm not dull, Doctor. In fact, I'm  
not sure why you've brought him up  
at all. You say he's in you...

_Amy presses a hand against his left-side heart._

**AMY  
**Yet you act as if you hate him.

_The Doctor looks down at her hand then back up at her._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Yes, well, we all have parts of  
ourselves we dislike or... resent.

_He turns from her and starts to walk away. Amy follows along_  
_with him._

**AMY  
**You promised not to be cross with  
me yet here you are-

**THE DOCTOR  
**I'm angry only with myself, Amy.

**AMY  
**And for what? You haven't even let  
me explain. You've just jumped into  
the deep end of crazy conclusions.  
I mean, why would I drop the  
vouchers into the post if-

**THE DOCTOR  
**Exactly. Why have you dropped the  
vouchers into the post?

_He stops walking and turns to face her again._

**AMY  
**You are impossible and irrational.  
Erratic and completely irritating.

_He grits his teeth and squints his eyes, ready for a full on_  
_verbal assault from his companion._

**AMY  
**And I have missed you so much in  
the last three months that somehow  
in my twisted mind, these traits  
are endearing to me.

_The Doctor smiles, pleasantly surprised. He straightens his_  
_bow tie and raises his eyebrows._

**THE DOCTOR  
**So we're not going to Hawaii then?

_Amy laughs and loops her arms through his. She shakes her_  
_head and leans against him as they continue down the street._

**_INT. NYC DINER - DAY_**

_A busy, happy picture of a New York City staple serves as_  
_the backdrop for a conversation between Amy and The Doctor._  
_Amy sips on a milkshake as The Doctor prepares to take his_  
_first bite of pie a la mode._

**AMY  
**Um, Doctor?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Just a moment.

_The Doctor digs into his pie._

**AMY  
**But, Doctor-

_The Doctor holds up a finger to shush her and he takes his_  
_first bite of pie. Amy watches nervously as the Doctor chews_  
_then swallows._

**THE DOCTOR  
**What is it then?

**AMY  
**Nothing. How's the pie?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Delicious. Why?

_Amy presses her lips together a The Doctor takes another_  
_bite of his pie. He speaks with a full mouth:_

**THE DOCTOR  
**What?

**AMY  
**The pie... it's...

_She points to a chalkboard sign behind him. He turns to_  
_look. In big red lettering, the sign reads "Pie of the Day:_  
_APPLE." The Doctor stares at the sign for a long moment._

**AMY  
**Doctor? Are you okay?

_He takes another bite._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Mmmm. Yes, well, everything is  
better when it's hot and sweet.

**AMY  
**It's certainly true regarding boys.

_The Doctor looks at her for a brief second then stares down_  
_into his pie, shoving another bite into his mouth._

**AMY  
**So... you haven't said what you  
think of my plan. Will it work?

**THE DOCTOR  
**A fortnight all expense paid  
holiday to Hawaii? Sounds like  
every overworked American family's  
dream come true.

**AMY  
**They leave September first.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Gives them plenty of carefree  
family time... before...

**AMY  
**Yeah. Before...

_Amy looks around the diner. The Doctor does the same._

**THE DOCTOR  
**You can save a few humans, Amy, but  
you can't fix the problems of  
humanity... any more than you can  
crush the spirit that will  
inevitably help this city-and,  
eventually, this planet-rise above  
and display the endurance and sheer  
will power that intrigues the universe...  
me included and especially, of course.

_He reaches out and takes her hand._

**THE DOCTOR  
**But if saving this Dave fellow will  
satisfy you, I don't think it'll be  
a problem in a timey-changey sense.

**AMY  
**I wish I could save everyone.

**THE DOCTOR  
**I know, but-

**AMY  
**I know.

_She squeezes his hand. A beat as he looks down at their_  
_hands. She looks at him curiously until he suddenly snaps  
out if it and hops up._

**THE DOCTOR  
**I have an idea. Somewhere-  
sometime-we can visit.

**AMY  
**No flor-faunic gardens.

_He chuckles._

**THE DOCTOR  
**You have my word.

_He runs off. Amy looks around. She sighs then speaks to a_  
_waitress behind the counter._

**AMY  
**Check, please.

**_Fade to black._**


	23. Isabel Sparrow

**Author's Note:**As always, thank you for reading. I sort of love that with every chapter, there is someone asking, "So... is THAT the end?" I should say that I do often like to end chapters with a little "button," but trust me... you'll know when it's over. Not because you see "The End" because I'm not against an epilogue, but mostly because I will tell you and mark this story as complete. So, remember, "it ain't over 'til it's over." Also... this IS an Amy/11 story. I promise :)

_**EXT. HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL STADIUM - DAY**_

_A high school graduation takes place. A student on stage_  
_offers a generic "inspirational reading." Amy and The Doctor_  
_walk up through the crowded bleachers. The Doctor is dressed_  
_normally, but Amy looks lovely in heels and a pretty summer_  
_dress. They take a seat in the stands._

**AMY  
**Where are we? When? And why?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Would you also like to know what  
and how? Just to complete the set?

_Amy cuts her eyes at him. He tips his head toward her._

**THE DOCTOR  
**You look lovely, by the way.

**AMY  
**You said dress up...

_She smooths her dress self-consciously, but glances around_  
_the stands to see that she fits right in with the_  
_well-dressed families around her. A man on stage addresses_  
_the audience:_

**MAN  
**And, now, I am proud to introduce  
to you the valedictorian of the  
class of 2017: Isabel Sparrow.

_On stage, Isabel stands and walks to the mic._

**AMY  
**Isabel? Princes Nevermind Isabel?

_The Doctor shrugs mysteriously as the 18-year-old ISABEL**  
**steps up to the microphone. She is pretty and joyful._

**ISABEL  
**Good afternoon and congratulations  
to my fellow graduates. We made it!  
The student body cheers.

**ISABEL  
**Four years ago, my parents brought  
me out to the suburbs. These  
suburbs. I hated them for it at the  
time-mainly because I was fourteen  
and hated everything-but also  
because I was a city girl-a New  
Yorker. A total Manhattan princess.

_Amy looks around in the crowd._

**ISABEL  
**Then I discovered the draw. Bigger  
bedrooms, better friends and more  
time. Time, I've discovered, is our  
most precious resource. It's the  
one thing we'll all eventually run  
out of in the end.

_Amy glances at the Doctor._

**ISABEL  
**Yet it's the one thing we all take  
for granted. "I'll do it tomorrow."  
Well, I'm here to tell you, Class  
of 2017, today is our day. Now is  
our moment. This is our time. Don't  
take it for granted.

_The class cheers. The Doctor glances at Amy, but looks back_  
_to the stage when Amy glances back._

**ISABEL  
**I would like to thank my parents  
for teaching me this lesson about  
time. It was one they learned on  
our first family vacation... an  
early September trip to Hawaii...  
won in a contest no one remembered  
entering... back in 2001. Back when  
my dad worked in the North Tower of  
the World Trade Center.

_A little murmur passes through the crowd._

**AMY  
**Is she saying what I think she's  
saying?

**THE DOCTOR  
**I believe she's saying Hawaii was a hit.

_Amy loops her arm through The Doctor's. As they talk, Isabel_  
_continues with her speech, detailing some of the events of_  
_how her parents found out about the events of 9/11._

**AMY  
**Thank you.

**THE DOCTOR  
**You're the one responsible for this  
one, Pond. And you did well. All  
around. From the purple space  
pirates to the Hawaiian holiday.

**AMY  
**I appreciate the compliment, but I  
meant thank you for bringing me  
here... but how did you know?

_He shrugs._

**THE DOCTOR  
**I didn't. I just locked on to her  
in a way opposite of those ugly  
pirates. I sought out positive time  
energy. I figured regardless of the  
outcome, at least we'd catch her in  
a bright, shiny, glowy moment.

_Amy smiles and nods, turning back to listen._

**ISABEL  
**So on behalf of myself, my parents,  
and time, I remind you again,  
graduates, respect your time, take  
your time, and always, always enjoy  
how you fill your time because none  
of us can ever get even one second  
of time back. Time will never, ever  
slow down and when it runs out, you  
want to be proud of what you did  
with yours.

_Isabel gives one big smile._

**ISABEL  
**Thank you.

_She leaves the podium. From further down in the stands, a_  
_big section cheers and yells her name. Amy and The Doctor_  
_glance that way._

_Dave and Hannah, older now, cheer on their girl. Hannah_  
_happens to glance down at Amy and the Doctor. She squints_  
_and grabs Dave's arm. She points._

**AMY  
**We should probably-

**THE DOCTOR  
**Congratulate them?

_The Doctor waves as Dave looks. Amy grabs the Doctor's hand_  
_out of the air and drags him out of the stands._

**_Fade to black._**


	24. Not Yet

**_Author's Note:_** Short chapter. Short author's note. But please let me know what you think... or what you think The Doctor is going to say :)

INT. TARDIS CONTROL ROOM - DAY

_Amy and The Doctor rush into the doors._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Isabel Sparrow. Daughter of the  
Sparrows. Suppose they're related  
to Sally Sparrow? Couldn't be...

**AMY  
**Who's Sally Sparrow?

_The Doctor gnashes his teeth._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Long story.

_He turns away from her._

**AMY  
**I'm listening...

**THE DOCTOR  
**_(over his shoulder)_  
Weeping Angel story.

**AMY  
**I think we can skip it.

_He nods then twirls to face her._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Lovely ceremony, wasn't it?

**AMY  
**It was perfect.

_She gives him a hug, but then a thought occurs to her as she_  
_releases him:_

**AMY  
**Except the part when you decided to  
wave to people who knew us almost  
two decades ago. That-

**THE DOCTOR  
**Would have been fine. You worry too  
much. Dave did see the Navitians-

**AMY  
**Don't you mean Navititians?  
Nah-vuh-TEE-shuns?

**THE DOCTOR  
**No, who told you it was pronounced  
like that? It's just Na-vee-shuns.

**AMY  
**Seriously?

_The Doctor looks at her, confused._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Seriously.

_Amy stares at him a moment then shakes her head._

**AMY  
**Isabel's speech was about time. How  
about that?

_The Doctor wanders toward the control panel._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Can't say I really understood the  
bit about running out of time. It's  
never been an issue for me.

**AMY  
**I understood her completely.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Part of the human condition, I  
suppose.

**AMY  
**Even if you're a Lord of Time, it  
doesn't mean you should be  
frivolous with your time.

**THE DOCTOR  
**I wouldn't say I'm frivolous with  
my time... I don't waste it.

**AMY  
**And you never put anything off?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Never.

_Amy crosses her arms. The Doctor sighs._

**THE DOCTOR  
**The tasks I procrastinate have  
nothing to do with time... or lack  
of respect for it. Quite the  
contrary, in fact.

**AMY  
**I don't see how that could possibly  
be true. You delay doing things out  
of respect for time?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Of course it's true. Part of time  
is timing and, simply put, their  
time hasn't come.

**AMY  
**I require an example.

_The Doctor hesitates._

**THE DOCTOR  
**The example that pops into mind is  
a current obsessive thought and an  
accompanying idea that's been  
percolating in my head for quite  
sometime now. This is something I  
am nowhere near ready to share.

**AMY  
**Perfect.

**THE DOCTOR  
**You say that now.

_Amy tilts her head._

**AMY  
**This is something you want to  
share, though?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Well, yes, eventually. Maybe.

**AMY  
**_(intrigued)_  
A secret?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Bit, yeah.

**AMY  
**Perhaps you should treat this as an  
experiment. You think this thought  
is not yet ripe, correct?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Oh, very, very correct. This  
thought is so far from ripe the  
seed's barely even been planted.

**AMY  
**So share it with me-

**THE DOCTOR  
**Pond-

**AMY  
**Doctor.

_She stares him down. He grumbles._

**THE DOCTOR  
**It's quite complicated.

**AMY  
**Then skip the technical details.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Those aren't really the complicated  
bits. It's the straightforward and  
easy to understand elements that  
complicate... everything.

_Amy groans._

**AMY  
**Good grief. Just say it.

**THE DOCTOR  
**It's not the sort of thing one can  
"just say." It's a progression.

**AMY  
**So start progressing already.

_The Doctor glares at her then softens._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Fine. Fine...

**AMY  
**I'm waiting. And I'm not judging.

_The Doctor smiles nervously._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Not yet...

_Fade to black._


	25. Ginger Spice

**Author's Note:** I know. I'm sorry. I'm just such a fan of the slow reveal :)

_**INT. TARDIS CONTROL ROOM - DAY**_

_The Doctor stands fidgeting in front of Amy. She tilts her_  
_head from side to side then folds her arms._

**THE DOCTOR  
**What? What? What is it?

**AMY  
**Nothing. I'm just... waiting.

_He paces and flails his hands in front of himself as he_  
_mumbles. Amy watches him as he suddenly stops and faces her._

**THE DOCTOR  
**You really know how to put on the  
pressure, Pond.

_As The Doctor starts to pace again, Amy's brow furrows._

**AMY  
**Doctor? Doctor, listen to me.

_She steps over to him and takes his hands, forcing him to_  
_momentarily stop moving. He looks at her._

**AMY  
**This is obviously causing you  
tremendous stress, but I can assure  
you that, whatever it is, it won't  
change anything between us.

_He looks at her with a wry smile as she releases his hands._

**THE DOCTOR  
**That... that... is a... very...  
interesting... statement, Amy Pond.

_He sporadically drums various fingers against his thumb._

**AMY  
**I mean... unless you're about to  
tell me that you're my father or  
grandfather or something. Because  
that... may... change... a few  
things. More than a few. You're  
not, are you? Please say you're  
not. Doctor? You're not, right?

_The Doctor, lost in his own thoughts, barely paying_  
_attention, realizes he is being asked a question._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Not what?

**AMY  
**My father?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Your father? How could I possibly-

**AMY  
**Travel back in time... meet my  
mum... nine months later-or does  
it not work like that?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Does what not work like that?

_She cocks an eyebrow._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Oh! Oh, well, yes, of course it  
works like that... or it could. But  
it didn't. Of course, it didn't.  
Not that your mum isn't lovely-

**AMY  
**That's enough of that.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Yes. Of course. Agreed.

_Amy tilts her head and narrows her eyes, examining him with_  
_more scrutiny. He glances over his shoulder as if she is_  
_looking at someone else. He looks back at Amy._

**AMY  
**Is it that you're a robot?

**THE DOCTOR  
**You know I'm a Time Lord.

**AMY  
**Maybe you're just programmed to  
think you're a Time Lord.

_The Doctor starts to protest, but then considers it._

**THE DOCTOR  
**I'll run a test on myself later.

_Amy chuckles and shakes her head._

**AMY  
**So... not a robot-to your  
knowledge anyway-not my dad.  
(she thinks)  
If it's that you were a Spice Girls  
fan-don't worry; we all were.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Ah, Ginger Spice! Did I ever tell  
you about the time-

**AMY  
**You told her what you want, what  
you really, really want?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Mmm, basically, yes. Then she  
returned the favor. It was-

**AMY  
**So not interested.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Oh, it was all perfectly innocent.  
Mostly innocent. About  
seventy-three and a half percent-

**AMY  
**No zig-a-zig-ah. Got it. Now can we  
please get on with this big reveal?

**THE DOCTOR  
**You're the one causing the delay  
with your mad line of questioning.

_He hesitates one moment more then looks Amy in the eye. She_  
_challenges him to continue with her silence and attention._  
_He purses his lips and scrunches his nose._

**THE DOCTOR  
**I can't!

**AMY  
**_(gently)_  
Yes, you can.

_She nods encouragingly._

**THE DOCTOR  
**You swear you won't hate me? Cross  
your heart and hope to die?

**AMY  
**Is it really that bad?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Not the reply for which I was  
hoping, Pond.

_He turns from her again, but she doubles around on him and_  
_makes him stop in his tracks._

**AMY  
**Doctor, nothing could make me hate  
you. Nothing. And I've already told  
you, I won't judge you nor will I  
care for you any less than I do  
now. I'll love you... no matter  
what it is you're about to tell me.

_He raises his eyebrows._

**THE DOCTOR  
**How I hope that's true.

**AMY  
**I promise. I swear it. Cross my  
heart and hope to die.

_He stares at her then begins to look more resolved. He takes_  
_a long and deep breath._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Okay.

_He turns away before he speaks._

**THE DOCTOR  
**I suppose you deserve to know.

_Amy frowns, concerned._

**THE DOCTOR  
**I should begin all this by  
confessing that there were other  
options to alleviate my allergic  
reaction to the Dominustempore  
Interfectus. I did not actually  
have to go human.

**AMY  
**Then... why did you?

_The Doctor turns to her slowly, thoughtfully:_

**THE DOCTOR  
**Would you like justification-  
'cause I have loads of that-  
or would you simply like...

**AMY  
**The truth?

_He nods._

**AMY  
**I guess it's up to you, but the  
point was to share a secret so...

_The Doctor lets out a quick sigh._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Okay. Okay... Okay, okay, okay. I  
suppose now is as good of a time as  
any-as little Isabel paraphrased...  
time slows for no man... though  
I'm not exactly a man, but for  
all intents and purposes, I suppose-

**AMY  
**Doctor, you're rambling.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Stalling, actually.

_He reaches into an inner jacket pocket and pulls out a_  
_handkerchief. He uses it to wipe sweat from his brown._

**AMY  
**Are you... are you all right?

_He wipes his brow again then tosses the handkershief over his_  
_shoulder._

**THE DOCTOR  
**No. I'm nervous. Is that peculiar?

**AMY  
**Well... I've never actually been  
able to tell if you're never  
nervous or always nervous so I'm  
not sure how peculiar it is.

**THE DOCTOR  
**It's peculiar. This is peculiar.

_The Doctor reaches into another of his jacket pockets and_  
_pulls out a squishy stress ball. He squeezes it a few times_  
_then tosses it away._

**THE DOCTOR  
**I think I'm having a panic attack.

_He reaches into yet another inner jacket pocket and pulls_  
_out a brown paper bag. He exhales into the bag then inhales._  
_After a few more breathes he crumbles the bag into a ball_  
_and tosses it over his shoulder._

**THE DOCTOR  
**What was I saying?

**AMY  
**Who can keep track?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Who indeed?

_The Doctor nods and turns to walk off as if the conversation_  
_is over. Amy clears her throat._

**AMY  
**Why did you alter yourself into a  
human, Doctor? Just... explain.

**THE DOCTOR  
**You ask a lot of questions, you  
know that, Pond?

**AMY  
**You're deflecting.

**THE DOCTOR  
**You're deflecting.

**AMY  
**And now you're mimicking.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Now you're mimick-

_She growls him into silence._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Fine. Fine. What was the question?

_Amy walks up to him, slow and deliberate. He cowers slightly_  
_at her approach._

**AMY  
**I heard you scream in excruciating  
pain with no way of getting to you.  
Then I waited around for you for  
three months. Now you're telling me  
that maybe I didn't have to go  
through all that-and neither did  
you-so perhaps you want to  
consider at least starting to  
explain yourself.

_He takes one more step back then nods._

**THE DOCTOR  
**I chose to turn into a human. I  
assessed all my options and that's  
the one I chose. Even though it  
would hurt more and take longer.

**AMY  
**But, why, Doctor? Why? Why did you  
choose to hide as a human if there  
were other ways that could make you  
better-quicker and less painful  
ways? Why wouldn't you choose one of  
those ways? Why would you choose to  
hurt? Why would you choose to wait  
through a painfully slow and boring  
three months. Why?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Oh, yes, a reason. You want a  
reason. You want the reason. The  
secret. The truth.

**AMY  
**Yes!

**THE DOCTOR  
**I'm going to have to ease into it.

Amy stares at him in disbelief.

**_Fade to black._**


	26. How what?

**Author's Note:**Short, but we're getting there. Enjoy and let me know what you think :) Please and thanks!

* * *

_**INT. TARDIS CONTROL ROOM -**_** DAY**

**AMY**  
Ease into it? Did you say you're  
going to have to "ease into it?"  
What have you been doing all this  
time if not easing into it?

_Amy watches The Doctor as he meanders to the steps leading_  
_to the control panel and slides down to have a seat. He_  
_looks up at her with an apologetically guilty smile._

**THE DOCTOR**  
I'd say I've been... deciding.

**AMY**  
You know, Doctor, patience is not a  
virtue of the Scottish and this  
conversation has sucked up every  
last drop of mine. In fact, I'm  
dipping into the reserves just to  
stop myself from coming over there  
and strangling you. So perhaps it's  
time to stop deciding and start  
making a decision.

_He opens his mouth._

**AMY**  
And make it the right one.

_The Doctor gulps._

**THE DOCTOR**  
Could we perhaps do this over the  
phone or... uh...

_He air texts with his thumbs._

**THE DOCTOR**  
Via text message?

**AMY**  
No. Not gonna happen.

_She walks over and sits down next to him._

**AMY**  
You know why? Because phone calls  
and text messages are the cowardly  
way to communicate something  
difficult to say...

_She puts a hand on his shoulder._

**AMY**  
And you, Doctor, are the bravest  
person I know.

_He gives her a quick smile._

**THE DOCTOR**  
And compared to, say, a weeping  
angel, what I have to say to you is  
only about two and a half times as  
scary-

**AMY**  
For you or for me?

_He chuckles._

**THE DOCTOR**  
I don't know, but I think I'm  
finally ready to find out.

_Amy smiles and waits. A beat._

**AMY**  
Well, go on, then.

_He nods and takes a deep breath. He speaks slowly and keeps_  
_his eyes averted._

**THE DOCTOR**  
Right. Uh... well, you see, all  
this time I've spent with you...  
all this time we've spent running  
'round together... traveling here,  
there and everywhere in my  
fantastic blue box... it made you  
think I was brave, but it made me  
think... a lot. It caused me to  
grow curious. So inexplicably, but  
undeniably curious, Amy.

_Amy smiles at the use of her first name. She scoots closer,_  
_her arm touching his. He glances down at the contact._

**AMY**  
Curious about what it would be like  
to be a human?

_He looks up to meet her eyes._

**THE DOCTOR**  
No. Well, yes, actually. But, no.

**AMY**  
Then curious about what?

_The Doctor smiles to himself, tilting his head to the side._

**THE DOCTOR**  
You. Curious about you.

**AMY**  
What exactly are you curious about?  
I would be more than happy to-

**THE DOCTOR**  
These aren't things I didn't know  
because I didn't ask or couldn't  
have figured out all on my own.  
These are things I didn't know  
deliberately because I never let  
myself observe them. Not ever.

_She crinkles her brow._

**AMY**  
For example?

_He looks her in the eye._

**THE DOCTOR**  
For example...

_He continues to gaze at her, his face a mixture of_  
_hesitation and tenderness. Amy huffs impatiently._

**AMY**  
Carry on, please.

_The Doctor's eyes roll up as he appears to attempt to regain_  
_his train of thought. Amy groans._

**AMY**  
For example... you never let  
yourself observe...

**THE DOCTOR**  
Right. For example, I never let  
myself observe... I never let  
myself see...I never wanted to  
see... I never should have seen...

**AMY**  
Oh, just spit it out already! You  
never saw, you never wanted to see,  
you never should have seen what?!

_He tightens his fists as he tries to get it out:_

**THE DOCTOR**  
How... how... how...

**AMY**  
How what?!

**THE DOCTOR**  
How beautiful you are!

_He inhales sharply then covers his mouth with the palm of_  
_his hand. Amy's jaw drops in surprise. The Doctor's face_  
_twists in a mortified cringe._

_..._


	27. Supernova

**Author's Note: **If you're reading based on alerts, make sure you read the previous chapter as it was posted pretty recently. Hopefully you will enjoy this chapter as the Doctor finally starts getting to the point. Please let me know what you think as feedback is the most awesome thing ever :)

* * *

_**INT. TARDIS CONTROL ROOM - DAY**_

_Amy stares at the Doctor as the pair sits on the control_  
_panel steps. He swallows._

**AMY**  
_(blushing, soft)_  
Wh... what? What did you say?

_The Doctor clasps his hands and stares down at them. He is_  
_silent for several seconds as he taps his feet on the steps._

**THE DOCTOR**  
I said I shouldn't see how  
beautiful you are, but I do. I look  
at you now and... it's all I see.  
And even when I don't look... it's  
all I see.

_Amy watches him as he finally looks up to meet her eye._

**THE DOCTOR**  
I knowingly opened myself up to  
this when I turned myself into a  
human, and once that door was  
opened... let's just say it is...  
heavy and not particularly easy to  
push shut again.

**AMY**  
So... since John Smith thought...  
since he thought I was pretty...

**THE DOCTOR**  
He thought you were beautiful. And  
so do I, but not because he thought  
it-the other way around, actually.

**AMY**  
Meaning what? Johnny fancied me  
because you have a penchant for  
redheads? That's barely a secret.  
Case in point: Ginger Spice.

**THE DOCTOR**  
Ginger Spice is a star.

**AMY**  
No, duh.

**THE DOCTOR**  
While you're a supernova.

**AMY**  
A supernova? As in a massive  
explosion-y space mess?

**THE DOCTOR**  
That would just be a nova. A  
supernova implies... something  
more. Something... bigger.  
Something... brighter.

**AMY**  
So... what I'm hearing is... you  
think I'm... super hot.

_The Doctor chuckles._

**THE DOCTOR**  
Amy, I think you're lovely outside  
and in. The loveliest, in fact.

_Amy's blush deepens._

**THE DOCTOR**  
You're fierce and feisty and it  
draws me in every time as you  
engage me in these verbal brawls  
that are explosively enticing. And  
then... then you're soft and  
supportive, snatching me back from  
the brink of despair and forcing me  
to fulfill my duties... my  
destiny... my...

**AMY**  
Doctor-ness?

**THE DOCTOR**  
Precisely. But it's your Amy-ness,  
your Pond-ness, your you-ness that  
propels every adventure and also  
adds momentum to my own existence.  
In fact, you add everything, Amy.  
You... you are... everything.

_Amy stares at him, shocked._

**THE DOCTOR**  
Before, I didn't let myself see it.  
I didn't let myself see anything.

**AMY**  
Am I supposed to be following this?  
I mean, really following it?

**THE DOCTOR**  
I shouldn't think so, no.

**AMY**  
Good. Because I'm not. At all.  
These strange things you're saying  
to me... you didn't start thinking  
them-seeing them-until you turned  
yourself into a human?

**THE DOCTOR**  
I didn't want to see anything...  
because I wanted to see so badly.

**AMY**  
Now that really makes no sense.

**THE DOCTOR**  
But I knew if I were a human, I'd  
automatically drop all my  
self-imposed defenses. I'd see. I'd  
have no choice in the matter. And,  
blimey, Amy, I saw it all.

**AMY**  
You... or John Smith?

**THE DOCTOR**  
We're one in the same... even  
though we're two different people.

_Amy shakes her head. She is not following him._

**THE DOCTOR**  
He speaks to me... not in a voice,  
but in flashes of memories and  
feelings about moments...  
everything I always overlooked  
before. I saw it. I still see it.

**AMY**  
But you didn't want to see.

**THE DOCTOR**  
Right.

**AMY**  
But you really wanted to see.

**THE DOCTOR**  
Right.

**AMY**  
And you think this makes sense?

**THE DOCTOR**  
Yes. Oh, but not to you, I'm sure.  
Not yet because I'm still, as they  
say, beating around the bush.

**AMY**  
Care to take a right good whack at  
the bush dead on?

_The Doctor stares down._

**THE DOCTOR**  
Not really.

_He smiles at her. She rolls her eyes._

**AMY**  
Carry on then...

_A beat as the Doctor looks down at his hands._

**THE DOCTOR**  
Perhaps patience is one of your  
hidden talents, Pond.

**AMY**  
Perhaps.

_Another few seconds pass._

**AMY**  
Probably not, though.

_She raises an expectant eyebrow. He smiles._

**THE DOCTOR**  
Can I ask you a question?

**AMY**  
Other than that one?

**THE DOCTOR**  
It's just something I'd like to  
know before I utterly and  
completely humiliate myself.

**AMY**  
What is it?

**THE DOCTOR**  
When I kissed you... or when he  
kissed you-I don't know, would you  
consider that him or me?

**AMY**  
Him.

**THE DOCTOR**  
Quick response.

**AMY**  
Easy question.

**THE DOCTOR**  
Did you prefer him?

**AMY  
**John Smith?

**THE DOCTOR**  
Yes. Did you prefer John Smith?

**AMY**  
Over who?

_The Doctor gestures toward himself._

**AMY**  
Did I prefer John Smith over you?

_The Doctor nods. Amy considers it seriously._

**AMY**  
I wouldn't say that.

**THE DOCTOR**  
Well then why did you say-

**AMY**  
You didn't ask who I would prefer  
kiss me; you asked who did.

**THE DOCTOR**  
Fair enough. Who would you prefer?

**AMY**  
Well, I suppose I would need a  
proper sample for comparison.

_The Doctor looks at her with raised eyebrows._

**AMY**  
Don't look so frightened; I'm only  
kidding.

_She smacks his shoulder. He stands up and wanders around a_  
_moment, muttering more to himself than talking to Amy:_

**THE DOCTOR**  
I'm certainly not the first Time  
Lord to experience something like  
this with another species. I guess  
I will be the last, though.  
_(something occurs to him)_  
Or maybe not, I suppose. Oh, that's  
a really lovely little thought.

_Amy shakes her head; she is not following this._

**AMY**  
Did you just say... what did you  
just say?

**THE DOCTOR**  
It's a difficult little trick to  
master, resetting one's own  
biological clock, but it is  
possible, and I'm fairly certain I  
could pull it off successfully. Do  
you understand what I'm saying?

**AMY**  
Uh, yeah.  
_(beat)_  
No. Not a clue.

_He kneels down on the floor in front of her._

**THE DOCTOR**  
It's a romantic gesture.

_Amy narrows her eyes, thinking._

**THE DOCTOR**  
When a Time Lord falls in love with  
another Time Lord-

**AMY**  
So there are no Time Ladies?

**THE DOCTOR**  
No.

_Amy tilts her head._

**THE DOCTOR**  
There are female Time Lords,  
though, if that's what you meant.

_Amy nods._

**THE DOCTOR**  
Anyway, if they-the Time Lord and  
Time "Lady"-decide to marry,  
usually the one whose body appears  
older will regenerate into someone  
more appropriately suited for the  
younger. It's really just a  
courtesy to other species the  
couple may encounter because, of  
course, age means nothing to Time  
Lords, but imagine taking your wife  
on a planetary cruise only to have  
to keep answering as to whether she  
is your mother or grandmother.

_Amy chuckles at the thought._

**THE DOCTOR**  
Now, if a Time Lord-and this  
happens very rarely-but if a Time  
Lord falls in love with a member of  
another species... a species who  
does age-a human for  
example-well, you can imagine the  
trouble with that.

**AMY**  
She ages; you don't.

**THE DOCTOR**  
Correct. And you could periodically  
regenerate into an older form, but  
that's ridiculously impractical  
over a lifetime spent together.

**AMY**  
So, what you're saying is that it's  
most inconvenient for a Time Lord  
to fall in love with a human?

**THE DOCTOR**  
Oh, no, it's lovely, actually.

_Amy scowls._

**AMY**  
Then I have no idea what you're  
trying to tell me, Doctor.

**THE DOCTOR**  
Humans always change Time Lords for  
the better. It's why I'm always  
hanging around you lot.  
_(beat)_  
It's why I'm always hanging around  
you, Pond.

_Amy looks down at her shoes._

**THE DOCTOR**  
Do you understand now?

**AMY**  
Yeah.  
_(she looks up at him)_  
No, actually. Still lost.

_He chuckles._

**AMY**  
I mean, you're saying humans get  
old and Time Lords stay the same.

**THE DOCTOR**  
Unless.

**AMY**  
Unless? Unless what?

**THE DOCTOR**  
Well, you must first understand  
that I do get older.

**AMY**  
But-

**THE DOCTOR**  
It only seems that I stay the same  
because you're aging at a much  
faster rate. Ten years of aging for  
you is the equivalent of about five  
minutes of aging for me. You  
obviously can't slow down, but-

**AMY**  
You can speed up?

**THE DOCTOR**  
As I said, it's not easy to do, but  
with focus-and a whole lot of  
energy-Time Lords are able to  
re-calibrate their biological  
clocks.

**AMY**  
You could re-calibrate to human.

_The Doctor looks down, not meeting her eye._

**THE DOCTOR**  
I could re-calibrate... to you.

Amy's eyebrows go up.

**THE DOCTOR**  
You know, if you want.

**AMY**  
Doctor?

_He hesitates before looking at her again._

**AMY**  
Are you asking... are you asking if  
I'd like you to grow old with me?

**THE DOCTOR**  
Finally, she understands.

_Amy is gobsmacked._

**_Fade to Black._**


	28. Double Ew

**Author's Note: **This is not the LAST chapter, but we're getting close. Let me know what you think. I LOVE it when you do :)

* * *

**_INT. TARDIS - DAY_**

_The Doctor stands before Amy as she sits on the control_  
_panel stairs. She stands up and walks down a few steps so_  
_that she is eye-to-eye with him._

**AMY  
**I just don't understand, Doctor.

**THE DOCTOR  
**But I thought you did.

**AMY  
**But I don't.

**THE DOCTOR  
**But-

**AMY  
**I don't.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Okay, well... I'm sure you're not  
interested in the physics,  
chemistry and biology of the  
process itself, but the basic  
theory is that I would speed up my  
own aging timer to match yours.

**AMY  
**I got that part.

**THE DOCTOR  
**I will need periodic tissue  
samples, of course.

**AMY  
**Of course...

**THE DOCTOR  
**This is so that I can analyze your  
patterns of growth and aging at the  
cellular level and beyond... so  
that I may recalibrate accordingly.

**AMY  
**You're not just talking about  
growing old, then? You're talking  
about going stride-for-stride. With  
me. For... as long as... we both-

**THE DOCTOR  
**Shall live? Precisely.  
Amy tilts her head.

**THE DOCTOR  
**You see, I am able to regenerate  
anytime I need.

**AMY  
**Yes, I know. Massive energy courses  
through your body and then you  
become... a new you.

**THE DOCTOR  
**That may be the most simplified and  
inaccurate description of  
regeneration I have ever heard,  
but... we'll go with it.

_Amy rolls her eyes. The Doctor smiles and continues:_

**THE DOCTOR  
**Rather than a one-shot hit with  
regeneration energy, this will be  
more like an ongoing slow release.  
And, then, in the end-

**AMY  
**The end?

**THE DOCTOR  
**When, biologically, there is no  
next stride to take together-

**AMY  
**When I die?

**THE DOCTOR  
**If you so choose.

**AMY  
**I was not aware I had a choice in  
the matter.

**THE DOCTOR  
**We both will by then. And we can  
choose together. Or you can choose  
and I will follow.

**AMY  
**That's funny. I've grown accustomed  
to following you-chasing you,  
really-not the other way around.

**THE DOCTOR  
**That is another inaccurate  
description from you, Pond, as it  
is I who have been chasing you for  
ages now. I just didn't realize it.  
And, neither did you, apparently. A  
right clueless pair we've been.

_Amy stares at him._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Unless, perhaps, you did realize  
it, but you ignored it because you  
don't feel the same. Forgive me for  
being presumptuous. Was I? Am I?

**AMY  
**Being presumptuous?

_He nods once._

**AMY  
**I suppose that depends on what it  
is you were-or are-presuming.

**THE DOCTOR  
**I was presuming and I am still  
hoping that... my...

_He leans in with his head down._

**THE DOCTOR  
**That my feelings...

**AMY  
**Your feelings?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Are reciprocated.

_He looks up to meet her gaze. She blinks a few times._

**AMY  
**About that. I still don't get it.

_The Doctor groans then steps down to ground level. He spins_  
_around 360 degrees back to facing her._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Okay. Well... which part? 'Cause  
there were loads of parts.

**AMY  
**The sum of the parts.

**THE DOCTOR  
**In other words, you get it... you  
just don't "get it."

**AMY  
**And now you get it.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Again, it is I who stumbles in  
pursuit of you. I thought you were  
asking for details when in fact  
what you wanted was the big  
picture.

_Amy climbs back up to the control panel and walks a lap_  
_around it. The Doctor keeps pace with her._

**AMY  
**Exactly. Because... Well... How  
could you? Why would you? With me  
of all people. I mean... you've  
never... you know, with the others.

_She stops and folds her arms, demanding confirmation._

**THE DOCTOR  
**I've never what with what others?

_He stops, too._

**AMY  
**You've never grown old with anyone  
else you've traveled with.

_As The Doctor looks at her, she loses a bit of confidence._

**AMY  
**'Cause you said... about only  
thinking you might be able to do it  
which implies you haven't before.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Oh, right. Yes. Yes, of course. You  
would be the first.

**AMY  
**But, I'm not the first.

**THE DOCTOR  
**But you are.

**AMY  
**But I'm not.

**THE DOCTOR  
**But-

**AMY  
**I'm not.

**THE DOCTOR  
**But-oh.

**AMY  
**Yeah. "Oh." Now, explain.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Well, I guess I just... never got  
that far with anyone else.

_Amy narrows her eyes._

**AMY  
**How far did you get?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Far enough to want to go further...  
but... no farther than that.

_Amy presses her lips together._

**THE DOCTOR  
**We are speaking of emotional  
distance, aren't we? Because-

**AMY  
**Of course we're speaking of  
emotional distance. What else would  
_we be speaking of?_

_The Doctor shrugs, his ears turning pink._

**AMY  
**Oh, ew. Please.

_He does a tiny lap down then back up the steps._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Yes, "ew," exactly. Exactly what I  
was thinking: ew. Double ew.

**AMY  
**I mean, we both know that's never  
going to happen.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Never. That is never going to  
happen. Never ever ever never.

_They look at each other, nodding in uncertain agreement. A_  
_beat passes. Amy tilts her head._

**AMY  
**I mean, it's not... right?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Right.

_The Doctor nods, but then shrugs._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Of course, never is the infinite  
negation of forever, and much like  
forever, it represents an  
unfathomable period of time that  
neither of us could ever truly  
comprehend.

**AMY  
**So... you're saying... what? Maybe?

**THE DOCTOR  
**I wouldn't say that's what I'm  
saying.

_Amy looks him in the eye, searching. He glances down._

**THE DOCTOR  
**I wouldn't even say I'm one hundred  
percent certain of what it is we're  
talking about.

**AMY  
**We were talking about emotional  
connection... then we weren't.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Let's get back to it then.

**AMY  
**Okay. Go.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Emotional connection... our  
emotional connection... is...

**AMY  
**Not your first emotional  
connection.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Correct.

**AMY  
**But you never chose to reset  
yourself to human time. Why not?

**THE DOCTOR  
**I suppose because I found... other  
solutions.

**AMY  
**You mean you built walls.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Yeah, great big universe-y ones.

**AMY  
**_(joking, dismissive)_  
And, what? I came along and  
annihilated them?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Technically, I dissembled them  
myself, but... yes, metaphorically  
speaking, you completely  
annihilated the massive, self-made  
walls that have kept me safe and  
lonely for quite some time.  
_(he chuckles)_  
Damn you.

**AMY  
**So... what you're saying is...

_The Doctor waits. She doesn't go on._

**THE DOCTOR  
**What I'm saying is...

_She waits on the edge of her metaphorical seat._

**THE DOCTOR  
**What are you hoping I'm saying?

**AMY  
**I'm afraid to say.

**THE DOCTOR  
**Me, too.

_A beat. The Doctor steps a few inches closer and straightens_  
_his bow tie. He flips his hair out of his face._

**THE DOCTOR  
**What I'm saying is...

_Amy raises her eyebrows in a silent demand. The Doctor takes_  
_a deep breath then smiles calmly._

**THE DOCTOR  
**What I'm saying is... I love you.  
Of course, I love you.

_Amy's lips part, but she is speechless._

**THE DOCTOR  
**I love you. I am in love with you.  
And I don't think it would be wise  
to waste another second-yours or  
mine-with you not knowing that.

_Amy looks at him for a long moment._

**THE DOCTOR  
**I hope that's what you were hoping.

_Amy doesn't even blink._

**THE DOCTOR  
**Well, say something, then.

**AMY  
**You idiot.

**THE DOCTOR  
**What?

**AMY  
**You couldn't have led with that?

_The Doctor smiles sheepishly as Amy goes for a kiss. Just_  
_before her lips find his:_

**AMY  
**Geronimo?

**THE DOCTOR  
**Geronimo, indeed.

_They exterminate the distance between them as they come_  
_together for a proper and gratifying kiss. The Doctor is_  
_surprisingly smooth as he puts his hands on either side of_  
_her face. Amy wraps her arms around his neck to keep him_  
_close._

**_Fade to black._**


End file.
